CASSEROLE OF CHICKEN, ORANGE & SHERRY for small households: easy, make-ahead, high fibre, budget friendly

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Singleton/Couple's version of the Spanish-style Chicken & Sherry Casserole... 

An upmarket, quicker version of the ultra-thrifty chicken wing slow-cooker stew 

This is the perfect meal to come home to after a hard day's work.  With a few tweaks, it is also an excellent meal for the elderly or toddlers.

The main flavouring ingredients - peppers, oranges and sherry - bring a hint of Spanish summer to cold evenings. It's a heady combination of wonderfully flavoured meat in a thick unctuous sauce, teeming with fibre and vitamin-rich   vegetables.  

There is a little chopping but the dish can be done in two stages; prepared the night or several hours before needed.

Cost: min £3.50'ish
Serves: 2-3, with sides 

Ingred:
    olive oil

    half a chicken or 2 good-sized chicken breasts or 450 gm thighs

    1/3 cup seasoned flour 

 
    1/4 tsp salt
    pinch pepper
    1/2 med onion, diced
    1 large clove garlic, grated
    1/2 red pepper, top & tailed & deseeded, in 1/2 inch/1cm slices
    1 tbsp tomato puree 
    1 stalk peeled & cleaned celery in large dice
    1 large carrot, washed and sliced
    100 gm/3.5 oz butternut squash (from packet below), sweet potato and/or swede in large bite-sized pieces 

    1 med potato, in large dice
   zest and juice of 1 oranges + 40 ml dry sherry/white wine/grape juice + stock or water to make up at least 250 ml of liquid
   3/4 tsp 5-spice powder
   1 stalk mint, with leaves

   generous handful of sprouts, trimmed and halved (opt)

   1/2 pkt mixed butternut squash (see above), tenderstem broccoli & mange tout 
    
   Garnish: 
       orange slices
       sesame seeds 

Method:

1. (The night or day before) Heat a large heavy bottomed lidded pan over high heat; add a couple of tablespoons oil
2. Toss chicken in flour to coat; add to pan, turn heat down to med high; cook both sides till golden brown (this step is optional but gives better overall flavour); remove, set aside
3. Add a bit more oil to pan; add onions, cook 1 min, then peppers & celery; cook 1 min, stirring; then the rest of the root veg 
4. In a measuring jug, add grated garlic, orange zest and 5-spice powder then orange juice, sherry/white wine/grape juice and enough stock or water to make up 500 ml of liquid; pour into pan
5. Return chicken to pot bottom side down - it doesn't matter if it sits proud -add mint
6. Cover partially with lid; bring to a boil; let it bubble 5 mins; turn chicken over - breast will be immersed in veg and sauce.  If doing this in stages, cool & refrigerate
7. When ready to serve, heat covered over med-high 30 mins; add a slurry of 2 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tsp cold water; stir;  in a few minutes, the sauce will thicken 
8. Add sprouts; cook 5 mins; add tenderstem, cook 5 mins; add mange tout; cook 5 mins or  until veg are done to your liking
9. Serve garnished with orange slices and/or sesame seeds alongside cooked rice, pasta or good wholemeal bread

Comments:
"I made this for an elderly friend and he was delighted.  Orange and sherry are a lovely combination and the mix of root and green veg added gorgeous  pops of colour and textures." Retired writer

Tips: 

• Make this go further by adding a tin of rinsed drained butter beans or cannelloni beans
• If the stew is being served to kids, the sherry won't be a problem; the alcohol cooks off, leaving only delicate flavour.  Tee-totallers can replace sherry with white grape juice.
• For toddlers and the elderly, extend cooking time by at least 15 mins or until meat is nearly falling apart

                                                                               

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission