Roast Chicken with Apricot, Fennel & Thyme
Paired with Vallée Blanche Viognier
There is something about a whole roast chicken that feels just right as summer begins to give way to autumn. This version brings together ripe apricots, fennel, thyme and a touch of cider vinegar — sweet, savoury and fresh in equal measure.
It is exactly the sort of food we love with Viognier. The apricot echoes the wine's ripe stone-fruit character, while fennel, lemon and thyme bring freshness and a savoury edge. The richness of the roast chicken, meanwhile, is a lovely match for the generous texture of the Vallée Blanche.
Under The Grapevine Wine Pairing
Roast chicken with apricot, fennel and thyme calls for a white wine with enough character and texture to stand up to the dish, while retaining the freshness to balance its richer, sweeter flavours. Viognier is a natural partner: its generous texture works beautifully with roast chicken, while its characteristic stone-fruit and floral notes echo the apricot. The fennel, lemon and thyme add a fresher, savoury counterpoint and keep the pairing from becoming too rich.
Other good partners would include a ripe southern French Chardonnay, white Rhône blend or an aromatic Grenache Blanc; wines with texture and flavour rather than simply high acidity.
Our favourite pairing? Vallée Blanche Viognier. Its ripe apricot and soft floral character mirror the fruit in the dish, while its rounded texture has enough weight for the roast chicken. Serve it lightly chilled, around 10–12°C, and let it open a little in the glass.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 whole chicken, approximately 1.8 kg
2 medium potatoes, cut into 2–3 cm pieces
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges
4 small shallots
5–6 fresh apricots, halved and stones removed*
1 lemon, quartered
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 tbsp apricot jam or preserves
2 tbsp olive oil
115 g butter, softened
60 ml chicken stock
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1½ tsp salt, plus extra for the chicken
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for the chicken
*If fresh apricots aren't available, drained tinned apricot halves work perfectly well.
Start Cooking
1) Prepare the chicken
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Pat the chicken dry and season generously, both inside and out, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Leave it to come towards room temperature while you prepare the vegetables.
2) Roast the vegetables
Roughly chop two of the shallots, leaving the other two quartered for the chicken.
Place the potatoes, carrots, parsnip, fennel, chopped shallots and apricots in a large roasting dish. Add the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the apricot jam and 4 sprigs of thyme. Season with salt and pepper and toss everything together.
Roast for 10 minutes, then remove the dish from the oven.
3) Roast the chicken
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon quarters, quartered shallots and remaining thyme. Nestle the chicken, breast-side up, among the vegetables and return the dish to the oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the softened butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons of apricot jam. Remove the chicken briefly from the oven and brush the apricot butter generously over the skin. Mix the chicken stock with the cider vinegar and pour it around the vegetables. Return to the oven and roast for another 45–55 minutes, or until the chicken is beautifully golden, the vegetables are tender and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 74°C. If the skin becomes too dark before the chicken is cooked, loosely cover it with foil.
4) Rest the chicken
Remove the chicken from the oven and leave it to rest for 10–15 minutes before carving.
Serve at the table with the roasted apricots, fennel and vegetables, spooning some of those lovely sweet-and-savoury roasting juices over the top.
One bottle on the table, one chicken in the oven, and September somewhere between summer and autumn.
From the Cellar Selection
The Changing of the Seasons Case
Six wines chosen for September, from sparkling and expressive whites to lighter and richer reds. Discover The Changing Seasons Case from Under The Grapevine.
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