Serves 4

1 whole chicken, about 1.8kg in weight, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
50g unsalted butter
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 sticks celery
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
500ml chicken stock
100ml dry white wine
100ml double cream
100g tiny pearl onions
100g bacon, finely sliced
150g frozen peas
150g broad beans
½ baby cos lettuce, finely sliced
3 tbsp freshly chopped chervil or parsley

1 Season the chicken with the salt and pepper, then heat half the oil and butter in a stove-top casserole. Fry the chicken in batches until golden on all sides.
2 Pour off most of the oil and return the chicken to the pan with the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and parsley. Add the stock and wine, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3 Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and return to the pot. Boil to reduce by half, and then skim any excess fat from the top of the broth.
4 Add the cream and boil again until you have a
sauce-like consistency.
5 Heat the remaining oil and butter in a heavy pan, add the pearl onions and sauté gently without colouring. Remove from the pan, then add the bacon. Fry until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
6 Return the chicken to the sauce and reheat gently, then add the onions, bacon, peas, broad beans and lettuce. Cook for a couple of minutes until the peas and beans are tender and the lettuce has wilted. Check the seasoning and sprinkle with the chervil or parsley. Serve immediately.

Times Recommends

• How to season a wok
• Chicago Rib Shack hits back at its critics
• Gordon Ramsay: Indian barbecue