Mustard Chicken with Potatoes Gratin

Looking elegant on the plate this refreshing spin on baked chicken is delightful. The earthy floral hints of the thyme combine nicely with the pungent flavor of the mustard. Along with a nice green salad and a nice Sauvignon Blanc this dish is sure to please. If at all possible work with fresh thyme; it seems the dried version doesn’t work well in this case – but if that’s all you have then it’s better than nothing. Chicken and potatoes are naturals together.

Yields 2-3 servings

2 Tbl wholegrain mustard
1 packet onion soup mix
1 Tbl fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tsp seasoned salt, or 1 tsp each salt and pepper
8 chicken drumsticks
200ml (7 oz.) heavy cream
3-4 large Agria potatoes, very thinly sliced (see below)

In a large bowl mix together the mustard, 1/2 the onion soup mix, 1/2 the rosemary leaves, a good glug of olive oil and the seasonings. Mix well, then add the chicken and toss until well coated.

Cover the chicken and place in the refrigerator. Chill for 4 hours tossing again every hour. You can leave it for a shorter amount of time but the flavor will be better if you give it least 3-4 hours.

Thinly slice the potatoes. Most box-style cheese graters have a side for this. If you are adept with a knife you can do it by hand. I prefer to use a Mandoline for a nice thin slice. If your slices are slightly thicker you will have to increase the cooking time of the potatoes.

Preheat the oven, fan forced, to 200c (400f). Place the cream along with the remaining soup mix and the rest of the rosemary. Whisk until well combined. Layer 1/2 the potatoes over the bottom of a baking dish overlapping each slice somewhat.

Season well and pour over 1/2 the cream mix (optionally add some mild shredded cheddar cheese). Finish with the rest of the sliced potatoes, the rest of the cream mix and more seasonings.

Cover and bake for 25 – 30 mins. Remove from oven, add the chicken pieces, reduce heat to 180c (350f) and bake for 35 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and the chicken is golden. Remove the chicken from the fridge when you put the potatoes in the oven to let the chicken come to room temperature.

Serve along side a nice green salad. For my dish I used a fresh kale salad with sesame oil.

For the kale salad I got inspiration from Jamie Oliver. He suggested sesame oil and I found it delightful. When I served the dish last night I left the kale raw which I quite like, but if you prefer you can wilt it in a pan or in the oven at 200C (400f) for about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it, it will scorch quickly. Regardless of the method sprinkle a little sesame oil on the kale along with the sesame seeds. Then proceed to serve or cook. It matched nicely with the mustard chicken and potatoes gratin.

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