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Chicken with mustard and crème fraîche

A light but rich main course to have with the olive and cucumber salad.
Serves 4. From Nigel Slater

4 chicken thighs
250ml crème fraîche
2-3 heaped tbsp grain mustard
2 garlic cloves, crushed
150g pancetta or bacon in the piece
3 or 4 small sprigs thyme

Chicken with mustard and crème fraiche. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin

Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Put the chicken thighs in an ovenproof dish. Put the creme fraiche in a mixing bowl with the mustard, crushed garlic, a little salt and black pepper. Pull the thyme leaves from their stalks and add them to the creme fraiche.

Cut the pancetta into short, thick strips then fry in a non-stick pan until the fat is golden. Mix with the sauce then spoon over the chicken. Bake for 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken skin is nicely coloured.

Olive and cucumber salad

Serves 4

a small cucumber
100g stoned green olives
a small bunch flat-leaf parsley 
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice 
3 tbsp olive oil

Peel the cucumber, halve it along its length then scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon. Slice the cucumber thickly, then put in a serving bowl with the halved olives. Pull the leaves from the parsley (you will need a couple of handfuls) and add to the cucumber.

Mix the lemon zest, juice and oil, grind in a little salt then toss with the cucumber. Serve with the chicken above.