Spring Chicken with Herbs

Spring is finally here! Almost all the snow has melted, and it's sunny and... well, I won't say warm, but warm-ish. I've found my sunglasses, and celebrated with my first iced latte this morning.

This chicken says spring like few other dishes. You can play around with the flavors. The original recipe from Lisa Förare Winbladh was quite different and included truffles, which is not my favorite flavor so I went a slightly different route.

Spring Chicken with Herbs
serves 6-8

8 large chicken thighs (bone-in)
2 tsp fennel seeds
1,2 litre chicken stock
300 ml white wine
500 ml cream (full-fat)
2 tbsp corn starch
1 lemon (finely grated zest)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 small cabbage head, shredded
150 g snow peas
small bunch of radishes, halved
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped
1 bunch of chives, coarsely chopped
1 bunch of basil, coarsely chopped
salt, white pepper

De-skin the chicken thighs. Add the fennel seeds, the chicken stock and the wine to a pot, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and cook the chicken for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken (which should be mostly cooked) and set aside.

Add the cream, and reduce the liquids until two thirds remain.

Stir the corn starch with a few spoons of water, and stir this into the pot. Add lemon, garlic, dijon mustard, cabbage, snow peas, radishes and tarragon. Also add back the chicken.

Cook, covered, on medium heat for 5-10 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through, and the vegetables softened. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in chives and basil just before serving.

Serve with rice, or new potatoes.

Recipe in Swedish:
Vårig kyckling med örter