Helen Graves’s passion for food consumes every aspect of her life. Despite being in the midst of a PhD in psychology, Graves is the author of two successful food blogs and three cookbooks, with a fourth under way. Her Food Stories blog, inspired by her eating adventures in Peckham, won a food writing award at the Young British Foodies in 2013, and she recently launched her own jerk chicken marinade (after six years’ exhaustive testing), which she sells through her blog. 

Cooking is at the heart of her incredibly busy life, so when it comes to kitchen equipment, Graves is a big believer in versatility. She’s recently switched to the Tefal Ingenio range and has been impressed at how it’s helped streamline the cooking process: “I love being able to cook on the hob and then transfer a pan directly to the oven with no fuss – it makes so much sense.” 

Here, she demonstrates the range’s benefits with a delicious one-pot roast chicken made entirely in a frying pan.

Roast chicken in cider with shallots, pancetta and peas with fondant potatoes 

For the chicken
2 tbsp olive oil 
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
100g pancetta, cubed
20 shallots, peeled but left whole 
2 sprigs of rosemary 
500ml dry cider 
1.5kg chicken
150g fresh peas
2 heaped tbsp crème fraîche

For the potatoes
150ml olive oil
600g potatoes 
1 fat clove of garlic
2 sprigs of rosemary

Equipment
28cm frying pan
16cm and 20cm saucepans 

(serves 4)

1 Preheat the oven to 180C (355F). Heat the olive oil in the frying pan and fry the garlic and pancetta for a couple of minutes. Add the shallots and rosemary sprigs, and continue to fry until the shallots colour. Move the shallots to the pan edges and place the chicken in the centre, seasoning the skin well. Carefully pour the cider around the chicken and then transfer to the oven. Wait until the pan is safely on the oven shelf before removing the handle. 

2 Roast chicken for 1 hr 15 mins, or until the juices run clear. Stir the shallots occasionally during the cooking process, to ensure even colour. 

3 About half an hour before the chicken is ready, pour the olive oil for the potatoes into the 20cm saucepan and add the aromatics. Heat gently, adding the potatoes so they fit snugly in the base of the pan. Place the lid on the pan and cook over a medium heat for around 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, shaking frequently to ensure they cook evenly.

4 When the chicken is ready, attach the handle and remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a board, cover with foil and leave to rest. 

5 Cook the peas in a pan of salted boiling water until tender. Return sauce to the heat and simmer until it reduces slightly. Stir in 2 heaped tablespoons of crème fraîche and the peas, and season well. Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce and potatoes.