Slow Cooked Chicken Stew
Serves: 4 people
Takes: 30 mins to 1 hour
Full of warming spices and spicy red chillies, this tomato sauce is full of flavour and you can easily pack it with veg. Think of it as the perfect comfort food which doubles up as a wonderful dish when entertaining.
Don't be put off by the large ingredients list...I'm sure you already have most of them in your store cupboard.
Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
100g pancetta or cooking chorizo, diced
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
4 bay leaves
1 onion, diced
1 portabello mushroom, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large red chillies (seeds removed if you wish)
100ml white wine
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
100ml chicken stock
2 large potatoes, skin scrubbed clean, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons garam masala powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons fresh coriander, roughly chopped
4 - 8 chicken joints, bone in and skin left on
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3.
In a heavy based oven proof casserole pan/dish (with lid) heat the oil and add the pancetta.
As it starts to turn golden brown and crispy, stir in the cinnamon, black pepper, bay leaves, onion and mushrooms.
After a few mins the onion will have softened. Stir in the garlic and red chillies.
Saute for 1 minute before pouring in the white wine. Leave to reduce for a few mins.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock and potatoes. Add the garam masala powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, sugar, salt and half the fresh coriander.
Place the chicken pieces in the pan making sure they are covered in the stew. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
Pop a lid on and bake in the oven for 40 minutes before removing the lid and returning to the oven to allow the chicken skin to crisp up for 10 minutes. You might need to pop the grill on for this.
Remove from the oven and test the chicken and potatoes are cooked through before tasting, adjusting the seasoning with salt and sugar if required.
Sprinkle over the remaining fresh coriander for the perfect winter warmer!
