Step 1

Sprinkle the chicken all over with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Step 2

Melt the butter in a large (about 30cm) frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. (Do the best you can browning the drumsticks; it’s a bit hard because of the shape.) If your frying pan is not big enough to contain the chicken pieces in a single layer, brown in 2 batches, then remove to a plate.

Step 3

The butter in the pan is now browned, which means extra flavour in the sauce. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Then add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, until light golden. Stir in the garlic and thyme for the last 30 seconds.

Step 4

Add the Guinness, turn the heat to high, and simmer until reduced by 75 per cent – about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the cooking power of your stove and how well your pan conducts heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute, then add the beef stock and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, stirring to combine. Return the chicken to the sauce and bring to a simmer, reducing the heat to medium so it’s simmering gently, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir around the chicken now and then to ensure the base isn’t catching. The chicken’s internal temperature should be 72C or slightly higher, and the sauce should have thickened into a gravy.

Step 5

Divide chicken and gravy among 4 plates, served over mash.