Slow Cooked Chicken Casserole
Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 02:07PM 
As far as I am concerned there is no living soul in the midst of a cold and dark January that doesn’t require a little comfort and sustenance in their lives. There is something about this time of year that is, if not depressing, then at least a little melancholy. The bitter sweet sensation of being past the holiday festivities, with the beginnings of a whole new year spread (or looming, depending on your viewpoint) before us can seem a daunting prospect. Indeed, to my mind, this is what January and February are all about – the opportunity to retreat a little, take stock and renew ourselves in readiness for the year ahead. If the holidays are all about the giddiness of celebration and the exploration of decadence then this time of year is a stayed, slower, more recumbent period. When it’s cold and blustery outside, yet day-to-day life must go on, we need foods that sustain and soothe us. There should be no food denial in January; just comforting and gentle dishes that fill our homes with fragrance and warmth and our bellies with wholesome heartiness.
This dish is a melodic blend of soul foods. The flavours are simple – a little garlic here, some sharp lemon there, a murmur of marjoram, the sugary starch of sweet potato, a burst of heat from the English mustard and the pure, restorative taste of chicken stock binding it all together. The beauty of this dish is that it cooks together slowly: the rice soaking up the stock and the chicken braising until it becomes so tender it falls from the bone. Really, if you need a little uplifting then this dish is the one for you. Enjoy with a glass of something lovely and perhaps a few steamed greens.
SLOW COOKED CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Serves 4
You will need a large flame proof casserole dish with a lid for this dish – Le Creuset would be perfect
8 chicken thighs – bone in, skin on
1 tbsp Doves Farm Gluten Free Plain Flour
1 large white onion
1 medium sweet potato
2 celery sticks
3 cloves of garlic
175g/6oz brown basmati rice
500ml/18floz chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp English mustard – made from mixing together 2 tbsp ground mustard flour with 2 tbsp water
The zest of 1 lemon
A small bunch of marjoram
Preheat the oven to 180c (160c Fan). Begin by finely chopping the onion, celery and garlic. Next, peel the sweet potato and cut into thin rounds - about 2mm in thickness. Sprinkle the flour over a dinner plate and season well. Toss the chicken thighs in the flour until lightly coated on all sides. Now heat the olive oil in your casserole dish over a medium heat, add the chicken to the oil and seal the meat, turning regularly, for around 5 minutes until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Pour the stock in to a separate pan and heat until it is at a low simmer.
Next, lower the heat slightly and add the onion, garlic and celery to the pan and fry for a few minutes, stirring regularly so as not to allow them to catch. Pour in the brown rice and fry for a further minute or so, until the rice looks a little glassy. Stir in the sweet potato, mustard, lemon zest, marjoram and hot chicken stock and return the chicken thighs to the pan. Season and then cover the casserole pan tightly with its lid and bake in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes until the rice has soaked up all the stock and the chicken is completely tender. Serve in its dish while hot.
Chicken, Garlic, Lemon, Marjoram, Mustard Flour, Onion, Rice, Sweet Potato in Lunches, Suppers, Winter, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, wheat-free, yeast-free
Reader Comments (5)
How lovely, pure comfort food!
I think we in the antipodes are much more civilized having the new year fall in the warm time of the year. You are out and about, there is a sense of anticipation in the air and the mood is optomistic. I know in the depths of winter it can be hard to look ahead to spring. Mind you, it is 38*c so maybe we will be hunkering down this week too!
January, with sunshine? It just wouldn't feel right! Whatever the weather this is so simple to make and comforting to eat that I think it will always be a succesful supper.
This really is soul food - i love the idea of the sweet potato, mustard and chicken together. It's just right for the January blues!
Truly, there is something about rice and chicken. It's just, well, gentle. Glad you like it and thanks for commenting.
I loved this!! Not because of the things we should all avoid, but because of the new term you coined: The Bartender Economy. Love, love, love! Why do we go to Naha all the time. Um, great service and the occasional free glass of wine. Businesses should run that way, too. We certainly will!
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