Chicken & Leek Casserole

I don't like casseroles. It makes me think of a bowl of soggy vegetables. Let's call this a stroganoff type affair. A Casseroff.

Ingredients

• Olive oil

• 8 chicken thighs

• 1 shallot, finely diced

• 3 medium sized leeks, chopped into rounds

• 250g button mushrooms, sliced

• 1 tsp fresh thyme

• Zest of half a lemon

• 80ml cup dry white wine

• 250ml chicken stock

• 250ml cream

• Flat leaf parsley

• Extra veg if you feel like it (optional) - tenderstem broccoli, mange tout, baby carrots.....
  

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large based pan or casserole dish (mine is from Amazon).

2. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.

3. Brown on both sides until golden.

4. Remove from the pan and set aside.

5. Add the shallot and leeks to the pan and sauté for several minutes or until softened.

6. Add the mushrooms and cook on a medium-high heat until all the liquid has reduced.

7. Season with salt, black pepper, thyme and lemon zest.

8. Deglaze the pan with the wine.

9. Reduce down by half and then add the chicken stock and cream.

10. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, cover partially with a lid and simmer for about 40 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.

11. If you are adding vegetables, add them the appropriate amount of time before the end of the cooking time. I added some tender stem broccoli 10 minutes before the end.

12. Scatter with plenty of flat leaf parsley.

13.