Serves 6–8 | Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: approximately 1 hour
A rich, comforting French-inspired roast chicken with a creamy white wine, Dijon and black pepper sauce. The coarsely crushed peppercorns give the sauce a lovely texture and gentle heat, while the Gruyère adds a delicious savoury depth.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 whole chicken
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 300ml double cream
- 100ml white wine (or cognac/brandy)
- 150ml hot chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- a large handful of shallots, very finely diced (or a large red onion)
- ½ cup finely grated Gruyère cheese (optional, but highly recommended)
- Fresh parsley, thyme and/or rosemary, finely chopped
- Salt, to taste
Method
1. Prepare the chicken
Preheat your oven to approximately 170°C (fan 150°C).
Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole dish. Place the whole chicken inside and carefully cut through the breastbone from the top to open the chicken out slightly.
*Using sharp kitchen shears or a sturdy knife, cut through the breastbone (sternum) to open the chicken out slightly. This really helps the chicken breast absorb the sauce.
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Roast uncovered for approximately 15–20 minutes, until the surface begins to dry out and take on a little colour.
2. Prepare the sauce
While the chicken is roasting, prepare your sauce.
In a large bowl, combine the double cream, white wine, hot chicken stock, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, finely diced shallot and coarsely crushed black peppercorns.
Add your chopped herbs and stir everything together.
If using Gruyère, finely grate approximately half a cup into the mixture and stir to combine.
Don’t worry about heating the sauce beforehand. It will cook beautifully in the oven alongside the chicken.
3. Add the sauce and roast
After the initial 15–20 minutes, carefully remove the chicken from the oven.
Pour the cream mixture generously over and around the chicken.
Return the Dutch oven to the oven and continue roasting for approximately 40–45 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and the juices run clear. Check that the thickest part of the meat reaches 75°C.
The sauce will bubble away around the chicken, absorbing all those lovely roasting juices and developing a rich, peppery flavour.
4. Serve
Allow the chicken to rest briefly before carving.
Slice the chicken and arrange on plates, spooning generous amounts of the beautiful creamy peppercorn sauce over the top. Finish with a little extra fresh parsley or thyme.
What to serve alongside
I think this dish is best served with rosemary roasted potatoes. You can add roasted carrots if you like, but personally, I’d keep it simple with potatoes so you can really enjoy the flavour of the sauce.
A fresh side salad is also lovely alongside. For something extra special, finely grate a little Gruyère into the salad to complement the cheese in the sauce.
A little tip: Don’t skimp on the coarsely crushed black peppercorns. You want those lovely little pieces of pepper throughout the sauce rather than finely ground pepper. That texture is part of what makes this dish so good!
*And if you have leftovers in the pot - turn it into a creamy chicken soup the next day! Add pasta or rice :)