Chicken and biscuits 1

SERVES 6 PREP TIME 25 MINUTES COOK TIME 2 HOURS 40 MINUTES

FIVE INGREDIENTS

1kg chicken thigh fillets

2 medium leeks (700g)

2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley

500g packaged scone mix

300g frozen mixed vegetables STAPLES

50g butter sea salt flakes freshly ground black pepper

Trim and discard excess fat from chicken; cut into 2cm pieces. Wash white part of leeks well; slice thinly. Wash parsley; separate leaves and stalks. Reserve small parsley leaves for serving; chop enough leaves to yield ¼ cup. Finely chop stalks.

2 Melt butter in a 5-litre (20-cup) slow cooker on ‘sear’ (HIGH) setting. Cook chicken, stirring, for 5 minutes or until it changes colour. Add leek and chopped parsley stalks; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened.

3 Add ¼ cup scone mix to slow cooker; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Gradually add 1 cup (250ml) water, stirring until combined. Season with salt and pepper; cook, covered, for 2 hours.

4 Meanwhile, place remaining scone mix in a medium bowl with chopped parsley leaves. Using a flat-bladed knife, mix in ⅔ cup (160ml) water until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; bring dough together to form a ball. Press dough between two sheets of baking paper into a rectangle about 1.5cm high. Remove top layer of baking paper; cut dough into 6.5cm squares.

5 Stir frozen vegetables into slow cooker. Place dough pieces on top of chicken mixture. Place a clean tea towel on top of cooker; replace lid. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until dough is cooked through.

6 Top chicken, biscuits and vegetables with reserved parsley leaves and season with pepper; serve.

Make it six: For a delicious savoury flavour use chicken stock instead of water in step 3, if you like.

Make it six Add 2 finely chopped celery stalks with the carrot in step 4, if you like.