Spring Chicken Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp plain flour
1.15kg chicken thighs & drumsticks
2 leeks
2 carrots
2 celery sticks
200g asparagus
500g potatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 bouquet garni
1 chicken stock cube
50g breadcrumbs
200g spring greens
A handful of mint, leaves only
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
500ml-1.2 ltrs boiling water
4 tbsp cold water (optional)

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Method

1. Sprinkle 2 tbsp flour on a plate and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dip the chicken thighs and drumsticks in the flour to lightly coat them.

2. Warm a large frying pan over a medium-high heat (use a casserole dish if cooking in the oven, or see our tip for the overleaf if you don’t have a casserole dish), then add 1 tbsp olive oil and the chicken thighs (skin-side down) and drumsticks. Fry for 10-15 mins, turning once, till golden all over.

3. While the chicken fries, trim the roots and top 3cm off the leeks, then halve them and rinse out any grit. Finely slice them. Trim and peel the carrots and slice them thickly on the diagonal. Trim the dry ends off the celery sticks and thickly slice them. From this point on, follow either the method for the slow cooker, or the oven.

4. In the slow cooker: Take the chicken off the heat. Peel and thickly slice the potatoes. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus (the spears will bend and snap at the right point), then roughly chop them. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

5. Arrange the chicken, veg and garlic in layers in a 31/2 ltr slow cooker. Drop in the bouquet garni. Crumble in the stock cube. Pour in 500ml boiling water and pop on the lid. Set to medium and cook for 6 hrs, or set to high and cook for 4-5 hrs or go for a slower braise and cook for 8-10 hrs on low.

6. When the chicken has 20 mins left to go, tip the breadcrumbs into a dry frying pan and set it over a medium heat. Toast the breadcrumbs, stirring, for 2-3 mins till golden. Tip into a bowl and set aside.

7. Slice the thick cores out of the spring green leaves and finely shred the leaves. Add 1 tbsp oil to the frying pan and drop in the spring greens. Stir and fry for 5 mins till the leaves have wilted and softened a little. Set aside.

8. Pick the leaves off the mint sprigs and finely slice them. Taste the chicken casserole and add a pinch of salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Divide the spring greens between 4 warm bowls and ladle over the chicken casserole. Sprinkle over the toasted breadcrumbs and sliced mint. Serve straight away.

9. In the oven: Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Lift the chicken out of the casserole dish and set it aside on a plate. Add the leeks, carrots and celery to the dish with 4 tbsp water. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring often, for 10 mins till the veg have softened and browned.

10. While the vegetables cook, peel and thickly slice the potatoes. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus (the spears will bend and snap at the right point), then roughly chop them. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves.

11. Stir the garlic in the veg. Cook and stir for 1 min, then add the chicken pieces back to the casserole dish and tip in any juices from the plate. Tuck in the bouquet garni. Add the potatoes and asparagus to the pan. Crumble in the stock cube and pour in 1.2 ltrs boiling water.

12. Pop a lid on the dish and slide it into the oven. Cook for 2 hrs, till the chicken is tender.

13. When the chicken has 20 mins left to go, tip the breadcrumbs into a dry frying pan and set it over a medium heat. Toast the breadcrumbs, stirring, for 2-3 mins till golden. Tip into a bowl and set aside.

14. Slice the thick cores out of the spring green leaves and finely shred the leaves. Add 1 tbsp oil to the frying pan and drop in the spring greens. Stir and fry for 5 mins till the leaves have wilted and softened a little. Set aside.

15. Pick the leaves off the mint sprigs and finely slice them. Taste the chicken casserole and add a pinch of salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Divide the spring greens between 4 warm bowls and ladle over the chicken casserole. Sprinkle over the toasted breadcrumbs and sliced mint. Serve straight away.

16. No casserole dish? Fry the chicken and then the veg in a large frying pan and scoop them into a large ovenproof dish. Add the potatoes, stock and herbs and cover the dish with a double layer of foil. Scrunch to seal, then slide into the oven and follow the recipe.