Chicken Stew

Sunday lunches.  Used to be Mum would be in the kitchen getting ready for lunch, Dad would be in the pub, having a few pre lunch pints.  Or perhaps that was just my household!  Saturday and Sunday lunches aren't really the mainstay they once were but that doesn't mean with our busy lives we shouldn't sit down, eat something hearty and appreciate each others company once a week.  Even if you live on your own or there's just two of you, it's still worth cooking a Sunday Lunch.

What's great about doing something in a slow cooker though is you can still get on with your busy life (whether that means taking a child to swimming lessons, football, rugby or just that you get to go down the pub!)  In the meantime, the slow cooker is happily bubbling away with no need for input from you and what's even better, a slow cooker uses much lower electricity than an oven.

Chicken Stew - Makes two large portions with leftovers, freezes and reheats well

Ingredients

500g, 1lb chicken pieces, e.g. drumsticks, thighs
1 Onion
2 cloves Garlic
180g, 6oz Smoked Bacon
1 Carrot
2 Bay leaf
A few sprigs Thyme
A couple of sprigs Parsley, including stalks
1 tin Haricot beans (approx 240g, 8.5oz drained weight)
1 Chicken Stock cube (low salt)
1 tsp cornflour / cornstarch (optional)

Method

Defrost the chicken if frozen and dry fry in a non stick frying pan until browned, this browning stage adds flavour (Maillard reaction).  Add to the slow cooker.

Chop the onion finely and dry fry with the bacon until the bacon is cooked and the onion softened.  Add to the slow cooker with the chopped carrot, bay leaf, thyme, parsley stalks (chopped), 250ml boiling water, stock cube and beans.

Cook on high for approx 4-5 hours or until fully cooked and the chicken is soft.  Switch to low when it gets to bubble if you have a hotter slow cooker (which I do).

When it's ready, take the meat off the bones if liked and return to the sauce.

If you want to make the gravy a little thicker, mix a tsp cornflour (cornstarch) with cold water and mix into the hot stock (if it's bubbling, temperatures of slow cookers vary, you may have to thicken on the stove if it's not hot enough.)

Sprinkle with parsley and serve as a meaty one pot meal with crusty bread or with vegetables on the side.

I've linked up to lavender and lovage Spring herbs