Chicken Stew With Whole Chicken Recipes

CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
• Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown chicken on both sides until light golden, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Remove from pot. (Do in 2 batches if pot not big enough).
• If there's too much oil in the pot, discard some. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
• Add carrots and celery, cook for 1 minute.
• Add wine. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the brown bits into the liquid. Cook for 1 minute until liquid is mostly gone.
• Sprinkle flour across surface, stir.
• Add broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to dissolve tomato paste.
• Place chicken on top, keeping the skin above the liquid level as much as you can.
• Bring to simmer then cover. Bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven, remove lid. Add potatoes, pushing them into the liquid and rearranging chicken so they sit on top (for lovely crispy skin).
• Return to oven without the lid for a further 40 minutes until the chicken skin is deep golden and super crispy, the potatoes are soft and the sauce is thickened.
• Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with warm crusty bread on the side to dunk in the sauce - or go all the way with Garlic Bread! Optional: garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves or parsley.

WELSH WHOLE CHICKEN STEW (FFOWLIN CYMREIG)

Steps:

• Wash a 4 to 5 pound chicken; twist wing tips and fasten so wings are akimbo and flat against back of chicken. Or if wings tips are cut off, skewer or tie chicken. Pat dry and rub about 1/2 teaspoon salt in body cavity. Dice the bacon and fry until crisp and brown in a Dutch oven or heavy, deep frying pan. Brown the chicken in the hot drippings, turning to brown sides, breast, and back. Brown giblets, if desired, or save for another use. Sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon salt while browning. Remove chicken from pan.
• Clean and slice leeks very thin, using just a small portion of the green tops. Add to bacon bits along with diced carrots. Cook until lightly browned; stir in flour and brown lightly. Add coarsely chopped cabbage, remaining 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. (Amount of salt will depend on saltiness of stock.) Stir to mix thoroughly and when cabbage is slightly wilted, add chicken stock. Cook, stirring frequently, until simmering. Add chopped parsley; crush fines herbes and stir into vegetables. When stew is simmering gently, arrange chicken on top. Cover and simmer very slowly until chicken is tender, 1 to 2 hours depending on its tenderness. (A very old stewing chicken may take even longer.) Turn chicken several times and spoon sauce over it occasionally.
• To serve, cut slices from breast and cut legs, thighs, and wings into pieces. Arrange chicken pieces on beds of vegetables. Serve with potato cakes and spoon the broth over vegetables, chicken, and potato cakes. Makes 4 servings, perhaps with some leftovers.
• Soups and Stews The World Over.

CHICKEN STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in your largest pan - an extra-large wok with a lid is ideal. Fry the onion and garlic for a few mins until soft, then pour in the stock and stir in the potato and herbs.
• Add the chicken and bring to the boil. Stir in the carrots, parsnips and leeks, then cover the pan and leave to simmer on a low heat for 40-45 mins, stirring every now and then, until the chicken is tender. (Cool and freeze any extra portions, and use within 2 months - thaw at room temperature, then reheat in a pan until bubbling.) Serve with mash and peas, if you like.