Red Wine and Chocolate Chicken

Charmaine Lu -
  • 50g butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 x slices of speck, chopped
  • 2 chopped celery stalks
  • 16 whole shallots
  • 200g small mushrooms
  • 4 chopped garlic cloves
  • 1.8kg chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 750ml red wine
  • 2 bay leaves and oregano sprigs
  • ½ bunch of chopped parsley
  • 2 cloves and cinnamon sticks
  • 6 allspice berries
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 20g 80% dark chocolate, grated
  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Pop half the butter and oil in a casserole and cook the celery, shallots and speck for 5 mins to soften. Add the garlic and mushrooms, cook for 3 mins more, then remove from the pan and set aside. Chuck 25g butter and 1 tbsp oil into the casserole and season the chicken. Cook the meat in 2 batches for 8 mins, turning until golden all over.
  • Sprinkle the pan with flour and cook for 2 mins, then add the tomato puree and wine and cook for 1 min more. Make a bouquet garni by tying together the bay, oregano and parsley, and add to the pan with the spices and stock. Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 55 mins.
  • Strain the veggies and chicken and set aside, discarding the bouquet garni and cinnamon. Return the sauce to the heat and simmer for 5 mins to thicken, then whisk in the chocolate. Pour your sauce all over the chicken and scatter with more herbs, then serve with brown rice.
2 hrs
4 serving