Roast Chicken legs with Five-Spice Sauce

The darker meat of a chicken, in my opinion, is the tastiest. In this recipe I leave the skin on as it crisps up really well in the oven and is mouth-watering. If you want to make it healthier just remove the skin before cooking.

Alternatively this recipe can be made with a full chicken that has been jointed. Jointing a chicken is something you can practice yourself or simply ask your butcher to do for you.

There is a little bit of work involved in the sauce, although I feel it is worth it – it has a beautiful flavour and creamy texture and it fills the room with its wonderful aroma.

Ingredients

4 chicken legs – jointed

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice

Sea salt and black pepper to season

1 lemon

1 bulb of garlic

A few sprigs of thyme

Olive oil

For the sauce

1 small onion

1 medium carrot

6–7 cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

50ml white wine vinegar

400ml chicken stock

A bouquet garni (rosemary, thyme and bay)

100ml double cream

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice

Method

• Preheat the oven to maximum temperature (usually about 250ºC). Carefully joint the chicken legs with a large heavy, sharp knife to make a drumstick and a thigh. Place the chicken pieces in a suitable-sized oven dish and sprinkle lightly with the five-spice and some salt and pepper.

• Quarter or slice the lemon and add to the dish with the garlic, separated into peeled cloves, and sprigs of thyme. Drizzle with a little olive oil, place in the oven and keep at full temperature for ten minutes, then turn down to 200ºC for 50 minutes.

  To make the sauce

• Chop the onion and carrot and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Put a saucepan onto a hot hob and add the sesame oil, then the onion and carrot and sweat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar and leave for 1 minute. Then return to the heat, add the chicken stock, tomatoes and the bouquet garni and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer.

• Remove from the heat when the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Add the cream and five-spice and put back onto the heat and gently bubble for a few minutes.

• Serve over the chicken right away, or keep warm until you are ready.