Hairy Bikers Somerset chicken is a creamy cider and apple chicken breast bake, and a grilled Cheddar crust bubbles golden over the top. This dish comes from their BBC series Food Tour of Britain, serves 6, and takes about 55 minutes at roughly 840 calories a portion.
On the recipe they call it comfort food at its finest, which fits a sauce built on dry cider, wholegrain mustard, and sage. What sets it apart is the Cheddar grilled over the top, so it eats more like a cheesy bake than a plain creamy chicken.
Everything rests on roasting the breasts on their own first, then flashing them under the grill only once the cheese goes on. That order keeps the chicken juicy, because a long grill would dry the meat out while the Cheddar browns.
Hairy Bikers Somerset Chicken
Description
Chicken breasts are fried, then oven-roasted while a sauce of onion, apple, mushroom, mustard, cider, and cream simmers in the pan. The sauce is spooned over to coat every breast, then a thick layer of grated Cheddar melts under the grill into a crisp, molten top.
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the sauce
For the topping
To serve
Instructions
- Roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 200°C, Fan 180°C, Gas 6, then season the breasts all over. Heat half the butter and oil in a large pan, then fry the breasts skin-side down for 1 to 2 minutes each side until golden. Transfer them to a deep roasting tray, then roast for 25 minutes until cooked through, and keep them warm.
- Soften the onions: Return the pan to the heat, then add the rest of the butter and oil. Add the onions, then cook them gently for 4 to 5 minutes until soft but not coloured.
- Build the sauce: Stir in the flour and mustard, then cook for 2 minutes. Add the apples and mushrooms, then cook for a minute before pouring in the stock and bringing it to the boil.
- Add cider and cream: Pour in the cider, then bring it back to the boil for a minute or two. Lower the heat, then stir in the cream and sage, and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes before seasoning to taste.
- Cover the chicken: Pour the sauce over the roasted chicken so it is completely covered, then heat the grill to high.
- Grill the cheese: Scatter the grated Cheddar over the top, then grill for 4 to 5 minutes until melted, golden, and bubbling. Serve each portion with a baked potato and a knob of butter.
FAQs
Why is it called Somerset chicken?
Somerset chicken takes its name from the West Country county famous for cider and apple orchards, so the sauce leans on both. They cooked it for the Somerset leg of their Food Tour of Britain, where local cider is the star.
What is the difference between Somerset chicken and chicken Normandy?
Both braise chicken with apples, cider, and cream, but Somerset chicken is the English version with wholegrain mustard and a grilled Cheddar top. Chicken Normandy is the French cousin, which swaps the cheese for a brandy or Calvados flambé and keeps the sauce clean.
For that version, their chicken Normandy uses bone-in legs and no cheese at all.
What cider works best for Somerset chicken?
A dry cider works best, because it cooks down into a savoury sauce without turning sweet, while the alcohol boils off. A medium cider is fine if that is what you have, though avoid a very sweet one, since the apples already add plenty of sweetness.
Can I make Somerset chicken ahead, and how do I store it?
You can make the sauce a day ahead, then cool it quickly and keep it covered in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat it gently so the cream does not split, then roast the chicken fresh and add the cheese just before grilling.
Leftovers keep for two days, though the Cheddar crust softens, so it is best eaten on the day.
What should I serve with Somerset chicken?
A baked potato with a knob of butter is the classic match, since it soaks up the creamy cider sauce. A sharp green vegetable balances the richness, so steamed greens, cabbage, or broccoli all work well.
For a lighter contrast on the side, their american layered salad keeps things fresh, or try another cosy chicken dinner like their chicken cobbler.
