- 4 chicken thighs & 2 chicken drumsticks
- 2 onion
- 4 leeks
- 4 carrots
- 4 large potatoes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 lemon
- 80g honey
- 2 bouquet garni
- 200g cavolo nero
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp cold water
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 500ml boiling water
- Large pan or casserole dish with lid
- Vegetable peeler
- Measuring jug
- Baking tray (optional)
- 1.
Fill and boil the kettle. Warm a large pan or casserole dish on a medium-high heat for 2 mins, then add 1 tbsp olive oil and the chicken thighs (skin-side down) and drumsticks. Fry the chicken for 8-10 mins, turning once, till the pieces are golden all over.
- 2.
While the chicken fries, peel and finely chop the onion. Trim the roots and woody green tops off the leeks. Halve them, rinse out any grit and finely slice. Trim, peel and thickly slice the carrots.
- 3.
Lift the chicken out of the pan and pop it on a plate. Add the onion, leeks and carrots to the pan with 4 tbsp water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring, for 8 mins till glossy and starting to lightly brown. If they start to dry out or brown too quickly, turn the heat down and add a splash more water.
- 4.
Meanwhile, peel and thickly slice the potatoes. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Zest and juice the lemon into a heatproof jug. Add the honey, pour in 500ml boiling water and stir to melt the honey.
- 5.
Add the garlic to the veg and cook, stirring, for 1 min. Add the potatoes. Drop in the bouquet garni (you can tie the herbs together with kitchen string to make them easier to lift out later). Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 6.
Pour in the honey and lemon stock. Pop a lid on the pan (or use a baking tray if you don't have a lid). Bring the pan up to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 mins till the veg are just tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- 7.
While the stew simmers, trim the dry ends off the cavolo nero then finely shred the leaves. Take the lid off the pan and add the cavolo nero. Simmer without the lid on the pan for 3-4 mins, till the cavolo nero is just tender.
- 8.
Taste the stew and add a pinch more salt or pepper, if you think it needs it. Ladle the chicken and veg into warm bowls, discarding the bouquet garni, and serve.