Chicken Paprika

[Poultry and Game]

1 x 1.35kg/3lb chicken

1 tablespoon oil

15g/½oz butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons paprika pepper

1 x 200g/7oz can of tomatoes

100ml/3½fl oz dry white wine

570ml/1 pint white stock

1 bay leaf

2 slices lemon

1 parsley stalk

salt and freshly ground black pepper

150ml/¼ pint white sauce

TO GARNISH

1 tablespoon soured cream

chopped fresh parsley

1. Wash the chicken and wipe dry. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan and when hot add the butter. When the butter is foaming, add the chicken and brown it well all over. Remove from pan and place it in a casserole.

3. Fry the onion until just beginning to brown, reduce the heat and add the paprika. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine and stock. Add the bay leaf, lemon slices and parsley stalk. Season well with salt and pepper. When boiling pour over the chicken.

4. Cover and bake for about 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked.

5. When the chicken is tender, take it out of the casserole and remove the bay leaf, parsley stalk and lemon slices. Carefully skim off any fat then liquidize the sauce in a blender and push through a sieve.

6. Beat the paprika sauce into the white sauce until completely mixed and smooth.

7. Joint the chicken into 8 pieces and arrange on a warmed serving plate. Heat the sauce and spoon it over the chicken. Trickle over the soured cream and sprinkle with parsley.