Weekend Chicken Casserole
This is my version of a classic chicken casserole, it is the sort of dish I want to know how to make for my children. Comforting, nourishing and nostalgic it is a recipe that made well feels like an expression of my love through food. Even the most nervous of cooks should feel quietly confident as good ingredients and the cooking time do all the hard work.
Nothing is set in stone here so, if you have onions instead of leeks, or sage instead of thyme, peppers instead of carrots, don’t worry - you can substitute when and where you need to. The only non-negotiable ingredient is a good quality organic chicken, the chicken should be the best quality you can get, to add depth of flavour to the finished dish.
By the end of the cooking the chicken should just be falling away and the sauce deep and rich. Serve with a scattering of parsley and rich mashed potatoes, to mop up all the wonderful juices.
ingredients
Recipe serves 6 people
1 organic chicken, jointed into 8 pieces (OR 8 skin-on and bone-in organic chicken thighs)
plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
olive oil, for cooking
1 large leek, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
500ml organic chicken stock
1 tin of organic chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
method
Preheat the oven to 180C (fan oven). Coat the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess flour. Take a large oven proof casserole dish and add a little oil oil, fry the chicken pieces in batches until golden brown on the outside 3-4 minutes a side. Set aside on a plate. Remove any burnt flour from the pan, add more oil and add leeks, carrots and celery. Sauté for 10 minutes over a medium heat. The vegetables should be softened and starting to caramelise. Add the garlic cloves, fresh thyme, bay leaves, smoked paprika and store gently for 1-2 minutes. Next add the chicken stock, chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, bring everything up to a medium boil. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, with any resting juices. Reduce the heat a little and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Cover the pot with a well fitting lid and place in the oven for 50 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and carefully remove the lid - the chicken should be soft and falling from the bone, the sauce deep in colour and the vegetables melting away. Scatter with freshly chopped parsley with mashed potato, or rice.