Chicken Casserole ... a little like mother used to make !

We never tire of chicken, it has so many plus points. Its versatility, and ease with which it can be cooked, make it one of the most popular meats around. It's certainly popular in our house! Plus of course it has a high level of good quality protein, as well as B vitamins, iron, copper and selenium... and it's usually reasonably priced too, which is a great help in todays ever increasing price of bills etc.

My dear Mum had many good recipes for chicken, and this one below is a little like she used to make! It's a BBC good food recipe suggestion, and really is quite like mother used to make … I can almost smell it cooking now!

Ingredients

Serves Four

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs* (around 850g/1lb 14oz)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 rashers smoked back bacon, cut into roughly 2cm/¾in slices
150g/5½oz small mushrooms, halved or quartered if larger
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into roughly 1.5cm/⅝in slices
20g/¾oz plain flour (around 2 tbsp.)
1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
500ml/18fl oz. hot chicken stock (made with 1 stock cube)
1 medium leek, trimmed and cut into roughly 1cm/½in slices

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven 190C/375F/Gas 5. Season the chicken thighs all over with a little salt and lots of black pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat and fry the chicken for 7–8 minutes, skin-side down, or until the skin is nicely browned. Turn and cook on the other side for 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
3. Return the pan to the heat and add the onion, bacon and mushrooms. Fry over a medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring regularly. Tip into a medium, lidded oven-safe pan or casserole. Add the carrots and flour and toss together well.
4. Sprinkle with the thyme, then pour in the stock, a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. Add the chicken pieces back to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a lid.

5. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Take out of the oven and stir in the leeks. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, or until the chicken and leeks are tender and the sauce has thickened.

6. Serve with mashed swede.

*You can use boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets for this recipe if you like. Fry for 3 minutes on each side before transferring to a plate. Follow the recipe as above but cook for 35 minutes rather than 45 minutes before adding the leek.

From an original idea here

For readers who may prefer a vegetarian casserole option, have a look here 

Dear reader, a variety of recipe ideas, are within this blog, 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.

All the best Jan