Every Mother’s Praised Chicken 2011/12/12

Posted by Mummy Ruth in Cooking, Health, recipe.
Tags: chicken, Nigella, Nigella Lawson, Praised Chicken, Recipes
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I saw Nigella Lawson on the TV do this, and thought it looked easy enough to try. My first Nigella recipe! It was an instant hit and I’ve now made it several times. Our twist is to calm down on the peppercorns and serve it as a soup with good bread! Nigella called it “My Mother’s Praised Chicken”, but – let’s be frank, this is (or ought to be) every mother’s chicken dish; it will restore from death’s door every member of the family. Guaranteed.

It’s super easy for busy mothers everywhere…

Prep Time: 5 mins.,
Cooking Time: 2 hours,
Serves: 4-8.

Equipment:

• A BIG pot with a lid, (Nigella’s is Ø28cm x 10cm deep);
• Teaspoon;
• Kitchen knife;
• kitchen scissors.

Shopping List:

• one large chicken;
• 2 litres cold tap water;
• 100 ml white wine or vermouth;
• 2-3 leeks;
• 2-3 carrots;
• 1-2 celery sticks;
• 2 teaspoons garlic infused oil;
• 2 teaspoons sea salt;
• 2 teaspoons red peppercorns
• 1 bouquet garni or 1 teaspoon dried herbs;
• 1 small bunch of fresh parsley;
• some English mustard & some fresh dill.

Prep:

Leeks – clean, trim and cut into 7cm lengths
Carrots – peel, cut into batons
Celery – slice
Dill – chop

Untruss the chicken, breast-down push down until breast bone cracks, press further to flatten slightly.
Cut off the chicken’s feet with scissors below drumstick.

To Make the Praised Chicken:

Add the garlic oil to the big pot and heat

Add the chicken breast-down turn up heat to high to brown

flip over the chicken, add the cut-off feet

Pour in the wine, let it bubble a bit

Add the leeks, carrots and celery

Top up with water to cover the chicken

toss in the herbs/ nouquet garni and parsley

Bring to the bubble boil then slam on the lid

trun down very low to simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours

(Nigella does 1.5 hours and turns off the heat leaving it alone for 30 mins

Link: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/my-mothers-praised-chicken

Nigella recommends rice, but we have it as is. We have added bacon and other things from time to time, and you can’t go wrong really. Just check the seasoning before serving.

There is very little washing-up, very little activity as a cook, and very easy and quick prep. It can be left alone for the whole time to let you do other things. I’ve included it here as this site is a sort-of personal recipe book. I’m not trying to steal any of Nigella’s thunder. This dish encouraged me to to try further Nigella recipes – equally simple and also very delicious!