Recipe

Slow-Braised Chicken Ragu with Pappardelle

Name: Slow-Braised Chicken Ragu with Pappardelle
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, finely diced; 3 celery sticks, finely diced; 2 medium carrots, finely diced; 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 200ml red wine (something you'd drink); 2 x 400g tins whole plum tomatoes; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 400g dried pappardelle; Parmesan, to serve; Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

A proper long-cooked ragu — chicken thighs broken down into a deep tomato and red wine sauce, served over wide ribbons of pappardelle. This is what a cold January evening calls for.

Serves 4

Ready in 2 hr 30 min

Keeps 4 days fridge / 3 months frozen

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
3 celery sticks, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp tomato purée
200ml red wine (something you'd drink)
2 x 400g tins whole plum tomatoes
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
400g dried pappardelle
Parmesan, to serve
Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Pat the chicken thighs completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the thighs in batches — skin-side down first — for 5–6 minutes per side until deep golden. Don't rush this; the colour is flavour. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery and carrots to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until completely softened and beginning to turn golden at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the tomato purée and stir into the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes, letting the purée caramelise slightly. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any stuck bits from the base of the pot. Let it bubble and reduce by half.

Add the tinned tomatoes, crushing them in your hand as they go in. Tuck in the rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Return the chicken thighs to the pot, skin-side up, so they sit just above the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid slightly ajar and cook over very low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken thighs. Pull the meat from the bones using two forks — it should come away without resistance. Discard the bones, skin and herb stalks. Return the shredded meat to the sauce, stir well, and cook uncovered for a further 15–20 minutes to thicken. Taste and season.

Cook the pappardelle in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve a mugful of pasta water before draining. Toss the pasta through the ragu, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed. Serve in wide bowls with a grating of Parmesan and scattered flat-leaf parsley.

✦ Chef's note

The ragu is always better the next day — make it ahead and reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it's thickened too much. It also freezes beautifully; freeze without the pasta and cook fresh when you need it.