SLOW COOKING

46

Fuss-free chicken chasseur

Slow cooker chicken chasseur

SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 6 hrs 35 mins EASY G

2 tbsp olive oil

4 chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in

2 shallots or 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed

200g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved

200ml white wine

1 tbsp tomato purée

200g chopped tomatoes

2 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

400ml hot chicken stock small handful of parsley, finely chopped, to serve mash, jackets, pasta or roast potatoes, to serve (optional)

1 Heat the slow cooker to low. Put the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken and fry, skin-side down, for 4-5 mins until crisp. Turn and fry for 3-4 mins more until golden all over. Put on a plate and set aside.

2 Tip the shallots into the pan and fry for 10 mins over a medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for 10 mins more until the mushrooms are golden. Pour in the wine and bubble for a few minutes until reduced by half. Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and herbs. Season well and bring to a simmer. 3 Tip the sauce into the slow cooker, and top with the chicken thighs (in one layer, if possible). Pour over the chicken stock until the chicken thighs are covered, adding a little more if needed. Cover and cook for 6-8 hrs until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is tender. Transfer the chicken to a plate and bubble the sauce for a few minutes more with the lid off, if you prefer a thicker sauce (you can only do this if there’s a reduce function on the slow cooker. If not, pour the sauce into a pan and simmer until reduced). Remove the skin from the chicken before serving, if you prefer. 4 Sprinkle over the parsley and serve the chicken and sauce with buttery mash, jackets, pasta or small roast potatoes, if you like.

GOOD TO KNOW 3 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 485 kcals • fat 26g • saturates 6g • carbs 15g • sugars 12g • fibre 4g • protein 29g • salt 1.4g