Delia Smith Chicken in the Pot Recipe

Delia Smith’s chicken in the pot recipe is her version of the French classic poule au pot from The Delia Collection: Chicken, where a whole chicken is browned, then pot-roasted in the oven with lardons, shallots, root vegetables, white wine, and stock for an hour until the meat falls off the bone and the juices turn into a proper sauce.

I always thought pot-roasting was just roasting with a lid on, but this is completely different because the chicken sits surrounded by vegetables and liquid so it braises and roasts at the same time, and the breast stays juicy instead of drying out.

More Chicken Recipes:

• Roast Chicken
• Chicken Casserole
• Chicken in Cider

Roast and Braise at the Same Time

The foil over the breast for the first 30 minutes is the clever part, because it protects the white meat from the direct heat while the legs and thighs cook in the liquid below. When the foil comes off for the second half, the skin crisps up and the mushrooms go in to finish in the sauce.

A standard roast chicken gives you crispy skin but dry breast meat if you are not careful. This method gives you both because the steam and stock keep everything moist from underneath.

Chicken in the Pot Ingredients

The turnips are not optional because they add a sweetness that balances the wine and bacon. If you really cannot stand them, swap for parsnips rather than leaving them out entirely.

• 1.35 kg (3 lb) whole chicken
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 225g (8 oz) unsmoked lardons or chopped pancetta
• 12 shallots or button onions
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm chunks
• 4 small turnips, peeled and quartered
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 275 ml (10 fl oz) dry white wine
• 425 ml (15 fl oz) chicken stock
• 1 small bunch of parsley stalks
• A few celery leaves, if you have them
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 225g (8 oz) dark-gilled mushrooms, sliced
• 25g (1 oz) softened butter mixed with 1 tablespoon plain flour
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper

How To Make Delia Smith Chicken in the Pot

1. Fry the bacon: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large flameproof casserole, fry the lardons until they colour, then lift them out and set aside.
2. Brown the whole chicken: Add the rest of the oil, get it hot, and fry the whole chicken by holding it with a cloth and turning it on all sides until it is golden brown all over, about 10 to 15 minutes. Lift it out.
3. Cook the vegetables: Fry the carrots, turnips, and garlic for about 5 minutes until they start to colour, then push the bacon and onions back in around the edges and sit the chicken in the centre.
4. Add the liquid: Pour in the wine and stock, add the parsley stalks, celery leaves, thyme, bay leaf, and seasoning, then bring to a simmer.
5. Pot-roast: Transfer the casserole to the oven at 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6) without a lid but with a piece of foil over the chicken breast. Cook for 30 minutes basting now and then, then remove the foil, add the mushrooms, and cook for another 30 minutes basting regularly.
6. Make the sauce: Lift the chicken and vegetables onto a warm serving dish. Put the casserole over direct heat, reduce the liquid by a third, then whisk in the butter and flour paste bit by bit until the sauce thickens. Pour it over the chicken and serve.

The Flour and Butter Paste

This is the same thickening trick as the chicken in cider recipe. You whisk small pieces of the paste into the hot liquid and it melts in without lumps, which is much easier than trying to make a roux at the end when the casserole is full of vegetables.

Carving at the Table

This is one of those dishes that looks impressive brought to the table whole, with all the vegetables and bacon arranged around the bird and the sauce poured over. Carve it in front of people and let everyone help themselves to the vegetables they want.

Frequently Asked Questions

You Might Also Like:

• Coq au Vin
• Chicken Chasseur
• Chicken Cacciatore

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 560 kcal
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 14g
• Fibre: 4g
• Protein: 48g

Nutrition estimated per serving based on 4 servings.