Baked Chicken in Cacio e Pepe Bagna Cauda Sauce

An Italian-inspired chicken dish that combines the creamy, cheesy flavours of cacio e pepe (literally translated as cheese and pepper) with a bagna cauda, meaning "hot sauce or hot gravy" in the Piedmontese dialect of Italy, referring to a warm, umami-rich sauce made with garlic, anchovies and olive oil/butter. Black pepper is an important component in this dish, so stay away from the pre-ground stuff and use the freshly milled one. If you don’t have wine on hand or just don’t want to use alcohol, then use same amount of chicken stock with a splash of lemon juice. Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes, crusty bread or pasta to soak up the rich sauce.

Baked Chicken in Cacio e Pepe Bagna Cauda Sauce

adapted from Delish and Delicious


2 tbsp Olive oil 8 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs Sea salt Freshly milled black pepper 50 g Unsalted butter 1 Medium yellow onion, chopped 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped 5 Anchovy fillets, drained 240 ml Dry white wine 360 ml Chicken stock 200 ml Heavy cream 1 Lemon, zested, cut into wedges 50 g Finely grated Pecorino Romano Chopped flat Italian parsley, for serving

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper and sear, with skin side down, until skin is crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
In same skillet over medium-high heat, add butter, onion, garlic and anchovy. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until onion has softened and anchovy begins to break down. Add white wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet, arranging chicken skin side up. Transfer to oven and bake, uncovered, until cooked through and tender and liquid is slightly reduced, 30-35 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a plate. Add cream to the skillet and bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
Stir in lemon zest, half of the Pecorino, 1 teaspoon pepper and season with salt. Return chicken to skillet along with any accumulated juices. Top with parsley, extra freshly milled black pepper, and remaining Pecorino.