Chicken stew/Chicken pie

When it’s foggy out (like here at the moment) or wet and cold, and even snowing, then stews are simply perfect. Warm, comforting and chock full of veggie goodness as well as protein, they can be a full main course with rice and a side vegetable, or you can have them as a hearty soup with crusty bread for dipping.

This recipe can be served as a stew cooked on the hob in a large pan (for those without an oven), or in a casserole in the oven. If you are cooking it in the oven, you can also convert it into a lovely chicken pie by adding a layer of puff pastry. Then all you need is a vegetable to go with it.

Serves: 3 to 4 as a main course, serve with rice (if stew) and a green vegetable

Time to prepare/cook: Approximately 40 to 60 minutes, 10-20 minutes to gather/prepare ingredients; 30-40 minutes to cook (will need the occasional stir if cooking on the hob)

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Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (approx. 300g – 400g in total)

• 100g bacon pieces

• 1 medium to large onion

• 1 large carrot

• 1 stick of celery

• 1-2 teaspoons crushed garlic, or 2 garlic cloves chopped finely

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 500 ml chicken stock

• Splash of white wine if available

• 1 teaspoon of herbes de provence

• 2 tablespoons of plain white flour (not self-raising flour)

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

• Optional: 2-3 large mushrooms (chopped), handful of frozen peas

• Pots & pans needed: Large saucepan (with lid if available) or casserole dish and frying pan, sharp knife for chopping, wooden spoon for cooking, bowl to set aside partly cooked ingredients

Method

• If using the oven pre-heat it to 200 degrees C

• First, cut each chicken breast into small 1-2 cm pieces – make sure you wash the chopping board and knife thoroughly before you use them for any other preparation

• Chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery finely (and mushrooms if using)

• Put olive oil in saucepan if cooking on the hob and warm up (medium-high heat, 6 on a scale of 1 to 9); use a frying pan if making the stew/pie in the oven

• Add the bacon, onion, garlic, carrots and celery (and mushrooms) to the pan and fry, stirring occasionally, for approx. 5 mins until onion is softened and starting to go golden brown, take out of the pan and set aside if cooking on the hob; or put into the casserole dish if using the oven

• Add a splash more olive oil if needed, and put the chicken pieces into the saucepan (or frying pan) and fry for approx. 5-10 minutes, turning the meat frequently until it is cooked on all sides and cooked through – an easy way to tell is using a sharp knife to cut one piece to see that the meat is white throughout (no pink)

• Add back the bacon, onion, garlic, carrots and celery to the chicken in the pan if cooking on the hob, or transfer to the casserole dish if using the oven

• In the pan/dish, put in the herbs, pour in the chicken stock and add a splash of white wine; if the liquid does not fully cover the chicken and vegetables, add some water until all the ingredients are covered

• Add the flour, mixing this around – it may make the sauce seem lumpy at first but as you stir the stew occasionally, the flour will mix in and thicken the sauce

On the hob:

• Bring the stew to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to medium (3 to 4 on a scale of 1 to 9) so it is simmering gently

• Cover the saucepan with the lid (not quite completely shut) and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, and if you want to add the frozen peas (no need to defrost them first), put these in after 15 minutes

• After 20-25 minutes, stir and use a clean teaspoon to taste the sauce – add a little salt and pepper if needed until it tastes good to you (wash the teaspoon in between tastings)

In the oven/chicken pie:

• Put the stew into the oven, with a foil covering or lid if available, and let it come to the boil – if not making chicken pie, then turn down the heat to 160 degrees C and let it cook for a further 20-30 minutes, until the meat and vegetables are tender

• If making chicken pie, take the pastry out of the fridge, quickly unroll and cover the top of the casserole dish carefully (making sure you can still handle it while hot); prick a few holes with a fork through the top of the pastry to let steam escape while cooking

• Put the chicken pie in the oven at 200 degrees C for approximately 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown all over; check after 15 minutes

Then:

• Serve the stew/pie with your preferred type of rice and vegetables

• Any leftovers will keep in fridge for 3 to 4 days, just ensure it is reheated completely again before serving