Spiced Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg chicken (whole or cut into 8 pieces)
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp white peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• Salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bulbs fennel
• Pepper
• 0.5 lemon
• 100 ml white wine (or light grape juice)
• 5 tbsp dry vermouth (or poultry stock)
• 200 ml poultry stock (glass)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the chicken pieces and pat them dry with kitchen paper, trimming excess fat.

2. 2.

   Place fennel seeds, peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, and about ½ tsp salt in a mortar and crush finely. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken pieces.

3. 3.

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a roasting pan and brown the chicken on all sides for 5–10 minutes at medium heat.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, clean and slice the fennel lengthwise into rounds.

5. 5.

   Remove the chicken from the pan and sauté the fennel in the pan fat for 2–3 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.

6. 6.

   Squeeze the lemon. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice, white wine, and vermouth to the fennel and reduce for 3–4 minutes.

7. 7.

   Add poultry stock, place the chicken on top of the vegetables, bring everything to a boil, then bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (fan 160 °C) for about 20 minutes. Increase the temperature to 225 °C (fan 200 °C) and bake another 10 minutes.

8. 8.

   Take the chicken out of the pan, transfer it to a baking tray, and finish under the oven grill until crisp.

9. 9.

   Lift the fennel from the sauce, reduce the liquid for 3–4 minutes over high heat, then return the fennel, adjust seasoning, and serve with the spiced chicken.