Jamie Oliver Normandy Chicken

This delicious Normandy Chicken by Jamie Oliver is a hearty, creamy dish perfect for a comforting family meal. Made with tender chicken, crispy bacon, and sweet apples simmered in cider, it’s rich in flavor yet simple to prepare. Use everyday ingredients and customize with your favorite apples for a flexible, easy-to-love recipe.

Ingredients Needed

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs (900g) chicken thighs and legs
• Salt
• 4 shallots (diced) or 1 medium onion (diced)
• 1 rib celery (diced)
• 4-5 sprigs thyme
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 125g (4 oz) bacon lardons or 6 strips of bacon (chopped)
• 2 tbsp brandy or whiskey
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 85 ml (1/3 cup) chicken stock
• 400 ml (1 ½ cups) dry apple cider (such as Strongbow)
• 2 apples (peeled, cored, and cut into wedges)
• 125 ml (½ cup) double cream (heavy cream)

How To Make Normandy Chicken

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Prepare the chicken: Pat dry the chicken thighs and legs with a paper towel and season with salt.
3. Brown the chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large casserole dish. Brown the chicken pieces until golden, then remove and set aside.
4. Fry the bacon: Discard the chicken fat or reserve it for another use. Fry the bacon lardons over medium heat until the fat is rendered. (If using fatty bacon, discard most of the fat.) Remove the bacon to the same platter as the chicken.
5. Cook the vegetables: In the same pan, add the shallots, celery, and 2 sprigs of thyme. Cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes, until soft but not colored. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
6. Deglaze with brandy: Pour in the brandy or whiskey, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Allow the alcohol to burn off.
7. Make the gravy base: Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring until the mixture thickens. Pour in the apple cider and stir to combine.
8. Add chicken and bacon: Return the chicken and bacon to the casserole. Add 2-3 sprigs of thyme, bring to a boil, then cover the dish.
9. Cook in the oven: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, uncover and cook for another 30 minutes.
10. Cook the apples: While the chicken is in the oven, fry the apple wedges in 2 tbsp of the reserved chicken fat or butter. Be careful not to burn them.
11. Finish the dish: Once the chicken is cooked, stir in the double cream (heavy cream) and cook for another 20 minutes uncovered.
12. Serve: Remove from the oven, stir in the cooked apple wedges, and serve with potatoes or rice.

Recipe Tips

• Pat the chicken dry: Before browning the chicken, make sure it’s patted dry with paper towels. This helps achieve a golden, crispy skin when searing.
• Watch the bacon fat: If your bacon releases a lot of fat, drain most of it off to avoid the dish becoming too greasy. A small amount of fat helps enhance the flavor without overpowering the dish.
• Don’t skip the deglazing: After adding the brandy or whiskey, make sure to scrape up all the brown bits stuck to the pan. This adds depth and flavor to your sauce.
• Add apples carefully: Fry the apple wedges gently and keep an eye on them as they can burn quickly. They should turn golden, not brown, for the perfect balance of sweetness and texture.
• Stir in the cream last: Add the cream at the end of cooking. This ensures the sauce remains creamy without separating or curdling during the long cooking process.

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Let the leftover Normandy Chicken cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: If you want to freeze the dish, let it cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before warming it.
• Reheat: Reheat the chicken in a large pan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Add a splash of chicken stock or water to keep it moist, stirring occasionally until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 serving

• Calories: 497.3
• Total Fat: 29.0g
• Saturated Fat: 12.7g
• Cholesterol: 123.4mg
• Sodium: 443.1mg
• Potassium: 153.5mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 28.3g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.8g
• Sugars: 21.5g
• Protein: 17.1g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver​ Sticky Chicken Thighs
• Jamie Oliver Chicken Laksa
• Jamie Oliver Chicken Kebabs
• Jamie Oliver Cajun Chicken