It’s currently snowing, it’s freezing outside and all I want to do is eat something heartwarming and relatively easy to put together. Cue my chicken and Kalamata olive casserole.
Not only does this recipe not use any hard-to-find ingredients – I bought everything from my local supermarket – it is a perfect dish to make for Valentine’s day.
Suggested Wine Pairing
Le Petit Mod’amour Rouge
INGREDIENTS
Casserole
4 Chicken thighs (skin on and bone-in)
80g Pork lardons
6 small shallots (cut into 4 pieces)
3 cloves garlic
12 cherry tomatoes
1 hand full of Kalamata olive (black olive will do too)
1 bunch thyme
3 dried chillies
6 tsp tomato purée
Olive oil
400ml chicken stock
Parmentier Potatoes
2 Large white potatoes (1.5cm cubed) – I use Maris Piper
1 bunch of Rosemary or Thyme
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
Olive oil
METHOD – Chicken Casserole
1.
Marinade chicken thighs in garlic, thyme, dried chilli, olive oil, salt & pepper ideally over night but at least a couple of hours
2.
In a hot pan sear the chicken thighs skin-side down until they becomes nice and brown and crispy and then take out and place in a casserole dish
3.
In the same pan fry off the bacon lardons and the shallots for a couple of minutes and then place on top of the chicken in the dish
4.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and scatter over the chicken along with the Kalamata olives.
5.
Gently dollop the tomato purée around the chicken, add the chicken stock to the dish and pour over any remaining garlic/chilli/thyme from the marinade
6.
Place in a pre-heated fan assisted oven at 200C and cook for 45mins until the tomatoes have melted and you can’t stop licking your lips.
METHOD – Parmentier Potatoes
1.
In a hot pan add a glug of olive oil and fry the potatoes until golden brown and then place in small roasting tin
2.
Mix chopped garlic and thyme into the potatoes
3.
Crack some black peppercorns on them and then pop into the oven alongside the chicken for the last 20 minutes
4.
Season and serve. Enjoy.