This one pot baked chicken recipe is another one from my good old ‘Dinner in the Freezer‘ book. I did this in my cast iron casserole dish, the flavours really intensify because of the slow cooking and when you reheat, it tastes even better. Funny how some dishes taste better the next day (or in this case, the next week!).
Ingredients: (serves 4)
- 8 pieces chicken, skin on
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
- 3 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, finely chopped
- 1 small dry white wine
- 400g peeled whole plum tomatoes, chopped
- 300ml hot vegetable stock
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Season the chicken well with salt and black pepper, then dust with the flour.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large flameproof casserole (preferably a cast-iron one) over a high heat. Add the chicken pieces, skin-side down, together with the bacon, and cook the chicken for 5–8 minutes on each side until everything is golden. Remove from the pan, and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low, and add the remaining oil to the casserole with the onion and a pinch of salt. Sweat for about 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, celery, and carrots. Sweat for a further 5–6 minutes until soft.
- Increase the heat to high once again, and add the wine. Let boil for a few minutes until the alcohol has evaporated. Tip in the tomatoes and their juices, and pour in the stock. Gently boil for a few minutes more. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and return the chicken and bacon to the casserole. Stir through, cover, and transfer to the oven to cook for about 1 hour. Top up with more stock or hot water if it begins to dry out.
Freezing instructions:
Leave to cool, then transfer to a seal-able freezerproof container, making sure the chicken is completely covered by sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To serve, defrost overnight in the fridge, then transfer to a casserole dish, cover, reheat in the oven (180C/35F/Gas Mark 4) for 30-40 mins or until piping hot. Add a little hot water or stock if the casserole is drying out. Serve with mash or rice.