This recipe uses Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, a relatively dry ale with a rich nutty colour and a palate of beech nuts, almonds and walnuts. This flavoursome ale perfectly accompanies chicken and makes an ideal mid week family meal.
Our Nut Brown Ale is brewed with well water (dating from 1758, the original well at the Old Brewery is still in use and the hard well water is drawn from 85 feet underground); best barley malt, yeast and aromatic hops; and then fermented in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings.
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 8 skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 8 small whole carrots with tops, peeled and tops trimmed to 1-inch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 and a half bottles Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale
- 125 ml /4.5 oz chicken stock
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- Coarsely chopped celery leaves
- Fresh thyme
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C /350F/Gas3. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, chilli powder, salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper and then rub the mixture into the chicken thighs. Let this stand for 10 minutes.
- In a large lidded casserole dish, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it’s well browned on both sides and the skin is crispy. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Drain off the fat, reserving 1 tablespoon. In the same pan cook and stir the onion, celery, and carrots in the reserved fat for about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the flour and then cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the beer and the chicken stock.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer and then return the chicken to the pan, adding the garlic at the same time.
- Cover the pan and bake for 40 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with celery leaves and thyme.