(Correction: If you’ve read this post before, note slight change to first line of preparation details. Sorry, should have read wash leeks (as it does now) not chicken.

It’s been so warm, for the most part, here in the Orne for the last week or so, that we haven’t bothered lighting the kitchen range. I’ve had such a great time cooking on it this winter that I’m quite sad in a way. I’ve made some great casseroles, slow cooking them on the top of the range or in the oven. And it’s been wonderful for bread, too. And, apart from that, I don’t have to remember to turn off the electric elements after I’ve used them!

However, a couple of days ago, the temperature suddenly dipped around lunchtime and we did light it. Great, I thought, a good opportunity for a last winter-type casserole slow cooked in the range. I prepared it just after lunch and put it in the oven at about half past four. The casserole cooked slowly for several hours but before too long, the house was filled with the appetising aroma of chicken and herbs. I served it with plain boiled potatoes, skins left on because we prefer them that way, and green peas. The following day, as it was still cool, I reheated the casserole, added dumplings and served it with cabbage, lightly braised with butter and black pepper. Might be the last one for a while, so I’m glad the casserole came out so well.

I have to admit that I make up what goes in my casseroles as I go along. It usually depends on what I’ve bought at the market, or what’s in my vegetable basket. I have given measurements in the recipe but feel free to adjust them. Leeks and mushrooms are such great partners for chicken, that I’d stick with those as the main ingredients, but otherwise use whatever you like. You will need a 2 litre casserole .

Slow cooked Chicken with Leeks and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

  • 4 whole chicken legs (skin left on - I didn’t brown them this time but I often do. Up to you.)
  • 4 leeks (2 for initial cooking - 2 to add later)
  • about half a punnet of mushrooms (button ones because that was what I happened to have, field mushrooms would be great)
  • 2 shallots
  • bay leaf
  • 2-3 sprigs thyme (I used lemon thyme for this and it was lovely)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic (chopped finely, or crushed)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • vegetable stock (enough to just cover the chicken)

Wash and cut leeks into half inch slices, remembering to keep them in two batches. Peel and slice shallots. 

Put the shallots, one batch of leeks, bay leaf, thyme sprigs and garlic in the bottom of the casserole dish. Carefully place the chicken legs on top, only overlapping where you need. Season with salt and pepper. Cover all with vegetable stock, until the legs are just covered. Cover with lid and put the casserole on the floor of your range cooker, (or the centre of your oven at about 160 degrees C) and keep the temperature around 160 degrees C. After about two hours cooking time, the meat should be lovely and tender. 

Move the casserole to the stove top, remove bay leaf and thyme stalks and add the second batch of leeks and the mushrooms, whole, or chopped into two or three pieces, depending on size and cook a further 15-20 minutes. If you need to thicken the casserole, mix a small amount of cornflour with cold water and stir it into the casserole. Cook a further 2-3 minutes.

(I overdid the cooking time and by the time I got back to it, the casserole had been cooking for about three and a half hours. Hadn’t done it any harm, taste-wise, but the meat just fell off the bone.  I removed the bones carefully with a slotted spoon, and the skin as well, and then carried on with the preparation as above.. Obviously, if you want to serve the legs, looking like legs, don’t get busy with something else, and check the casserole after about an hour and a half.)

Enjoy!