Pot-roast chicken with root vegetables and barley ... brings childhood memories

A roast dinner with hardly any washing up, what could be better. This dish features chicken, a firm family favourite, and which even in these days of rising costs is still reasonably priced. Read on for more details ...

Ingredients
Serves four
1.5-1.8kg/3lb 5oz - 4lb chicken (free-range or organic, if possible)
olive oil, for roasting
½ swede (rutabaga), peeled and chopped
3 carrots, cut into chunks
2 onions, chopped
100g/3½oz pearl barley
2 chicken stock cubes
500ml/18fl oz hot water
2 garlic cloves, flattened
1 tsp dried thyme
1 head spring greens, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9, or as high as it will go.
2. Put the chicken into a large casserole dish, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes to brown the chicken, then remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then put all the ingredients except the spring greens into the casserole. Lay the chicken on top and cover with the lid.
4. Set the casserole over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, until you hear the liquid in the bottom of the dish start to boil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through completely.
5. Carefully remove the chicken from the pan with a pair of forks or tongs and set aside to rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, stir the spring greens into the vegetables and pearl barley, cover with a lid and leave to stand while the chicken rests.
7. Carve the chicken and serve with the vegetables.

Each serving provides
447 kcal, 57g protein, 17g carbohydrate (of which 13g sugars), 14.5g fat (of which 3.5g saturates), 10g fibre and 2.5g salt.

Recipe Tips
i) Take the chicken out of the fridge half an hour before you plan to cook it and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
ii) If you don’t have a large enough lidded casserole to hold the chicken, you can use a roasting tin and cover it tightly with foil.

iii) cabbage, kale or spinach could be used if you cannot find any spring greens

Pearl Barley
Is barley with all the bran removed, giving the round, shiny grains a pearlescent white colour. It can be used in soups and stews as a thickener, or to add texture rather than flavour. Growing up I can remember my dear mother used to include it in quite a few meals, especially her tasty stews! Pearl barley is widely used in Japan and countries with cool climates.

Recipe from an original idea here

For readers who may prefer a vegetarian dish, have a look at 'Greengrocers Veggie Hotpot' here

~ with Christmas getting near, I couldn't resist these ~

You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan