Chicken Thighs baked with Fennel, Red Onion and Sherry

Serves: 2 - Time:

Chicken Thighs baked with Fennel, Red Onion and Sherry
Chicken Thighs baked with Fennel, Red Onion and Sherry Chicken Thighs baked with Fennel, Red Onion and Sherry

This is a really easy, tasty, almost one-pan dish which would work with chicken legs or drumsticks. My thighs (the chicken ones, that is) were not that big so I served two per person but you may find one large joint will serve one person. Try and leave the chicken to sit in the garlicky rub for at least one hour but the longer the better. I used some of my homemade confit tomatoes but Waitrose sell jars of slow roasted tomatoes which are perfect here.

Ingredients

  • For the rub
  • 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon hot paprika
  • 3 pinches saffron strands
  • 4 small bone-in chicken thighs
  • To finish the dish
  • 1 head fennel, trimmed and cut into quarters
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into eighths
  • 175g drained slow-roasted tomatoes (see intro)
  • 75g fino sherry
Chicken Thighs baked with Fennel, Red Onion and Sherry

Method

  1. Put the garlic, oil, rosemary, paprika (smoked and hot) and saffron in a bowl. Add the chicken and rub the ingredients over the thighs. Leave for at least one hour. If you’re leaving them for longer, cover the bowl and chill.
  2. Heat the oven fan 190˚c, mark 6. Put the fennel quarters in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook the fennel for 8-10 minutes until the fennel is just tender. Drain well and put the fennel in an ovenproof dish or roasting tin. Add the red onions. Place the chicken thighs and any of the rub on top of the vegetables. Spoon over the tomatoes and sherry. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes, until the chicken pieces are coked through.