Corn fed breast of chicken with charred baby vegetables, white onion purée and thyme jus

This recipe is pretty straightforward to rustle up for a dinner party while incorporating a few 'cheffy' elements. The flavours are terrific and it works really well - so get set to impress.

Ingredients

• For the onion purée:
• 2 white onions, diced
• Knob of butter
• 240 ml milk
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• For the jus:
• 25 g shallots, diced
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 spring thyme
• Splash of oil
• 60 ml dry white wine
• For the chicken:
• 4 corn-fed chicken breasts, on the bone, skin on
• 350 ml hot chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 175 ml hot beef or veal stock, preferably homemade
• A selection of baby vegetables, washed, such as carrots, turnips, courgettes, leeks and new potatoes
• Splash of oil
• Knob of butter

Preparation

1. First make the onion purée. Place the diced onions, butter, milk and bay leaf in a pan, bring to the boil then immediately turn down the heat. Simmer gently until the onions are soft.
2. Season with salt and white pepper, remove the bay leaf then blend until smooth before passing through a sieve. Set aside.
3. Pre-cook the baby vegetables and potatoes in salted water until just tender, then refresh in cold water and set aside.
4. Heat the oven to 200C (190C fan/gas mark 6) and place a large, heavy-bottomed and oven-proof frying pan or roasting tin in it to heat up.
5. Meanwhile, put the chicken in a pan with the hot stock, bring to a simmer and poach for 2 minutes. Using tongs, remove the chicken and set aside while you make the jus.
6. For the jus, heat a heavy-bottomed pan, add the oil and sauté the shallots and garlic until softened.
7. Add the thyme and wine and allow to bubble until reduced to about half, before adding the stocked used to poach the chicken.
8. Leave the jus simmering to reduce by half while you continue with the chicken.
9. Remove the frying pan or tin from the oven, add a small amount of oil to coat it and place the chicken in the centre, skin side down, before returning to the oven. At this point, warm four plates.
10. After 5 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and scatter the vegetables and potatoes around the chicken. Return the pan to the oven for another 4 or 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
11. Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven and glaze the chicken and vegetables with the butter for a shiny finish.
12. To serve, divide the vegetables between the plates and place a chicken breast on top of each pile. Drizzle the onion purée around the chicken and spoon over the thyme jus.