Braised Chicken with Shallots, Peas and Apples

Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan or casserole dish large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer.

Season the chicken and cook until well browned on all sides. Do this in batches if necessary. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the shallots and apples to the pan and cook until golden. Transfer to a plate. Discard most of the fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan.

Add the garlic, thyme and the wine. Let it bubble up and cook until most of the wine has evaporated, scraping the base of the pan to release all the sticky bits. Stir in the stock and season. Add the chicken with any resting juices and the shallots back to the pan, turning to coat in the sauce. Cover and cook over a low heat for 40 minutes until very tender. A simmer mat is perfect for gentle cooking. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm. Add the peas and cream to the pan and simmer until the peas are tender and the sauce is reduced and syrupy. Add the apples and flat-leaf parsley to the pan and heat through.

To serve: Arrange the chicken on a serving platter, spoon over the sauce and serve with Puy Lentils with Leeks.

Puy lentils: these small slate-green lentils have a delicate blue marbling. They are considered by many to be the best lentil because of their unique peppery flavour and the fact they hold their shape during cooking. They’re the only lentil to be identified by area of cultivation – grown in the Le Puy region of France.