Lemon and mustard chicken with crushed herb potatoes

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I like chicken, but I tend to be quite fussy about the way it is cooked and this French-inspired dish is one that I do like to cook. Although this does have a cream sauce, the mustard, white wine, and especially the sage balance the cream to give it a sharpness, but there is also a sweetness that comes through. Do serve with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and make sure you have some warm baguette to serve to enjoy the sauce. The herb potatoes are a delight and work well with any number of dishes.

Lemon and mustard chicken with crushed herb potatoes

50ml olive oil

40g butter, coarsely chopped

1 chicken (about 1.6kg), jointed, skin and meat slashed

4 garlic cloves, crushed

200ml dry white wine

100ml chicken stock

100ml pouring cream

40g Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons sage

Crushed herb potatoes

800g kipfler potatoes, scrubbed

40g butter, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 200C. Heat oil and butter in a large casserole or oven proof frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down and cook, turning once, until golden (5-6 minutes). Add garlic and stir to combine. Add wine, reduce slightly, then add stock. Transfer to the oven and roast until chicken is cooked through (15-20 minutes). Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm. Whisk cream and mustard into pan juices and simmer over medium heat until reduced by a third (6-8 minutes). Add sage, season to taste, then return chicken to the pan and keep warm.

Meanwhile, for crushed herb potatoes, place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with salted cold water, bring to the boil and cook until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain well, return to pan, add butter, coarsely crush with a fork and season to taste. Add herbs, stir to combine and serve with lemon and mustard chicken.