- 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
- 4 bone-in, skin on chicken legs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 400 g white button mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half if large
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons brandy
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 480 ml chicken stock
- 1 can (400 g) chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon picked fresh tarragon leaves
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large deep sauté pan or saucepan – that has a lid. Once oil is hot, add chicken skin side down (do not crowd, you may have to do this in two batches) brown the chicken on one side until deep golden brown, using tongs turn over and brown on other side, remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the now empty pan, if you have more than a tablespoon or two of fat in the pan, pour some fat out. Over medium high heat, sauté the mushrooms until browned; about 6-8 minutes. Add the shallots, cook until soft, 2 minutes longer.
Add the brandy and the wine to the hot pan with the mushrooms, and using a wooden spoon scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer briskly until the liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the chicken back to the pan, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 25-35 minutes.
When ready to serve, place chicken pieces on platter, taste the sauce for seasoning, it may need more salt or pepper. Spoon sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley and tarragon.
