Off all the casseroles we have pulled together over the last month, this has to be our favourite only to be matched by the Creole/Mexican flavoured dish we made earlier.  The weather continues to go from bad to worse and this Saturday was no exception – non stop rain from dawn to dusk coupled with a definite bite in the air.  We decided to make a hot comforting casserole for dinner and as promised earlier we were going to experiment with Italian flavours in our next casserole, so here’s the recipe for it.  Our next challenge given to us by one of Anna’s friends is to develop an Indian themed casserole – stay tuned…

What do I need to make it?

• 500 gms boneless chicken thighs (6-8 pieces)
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1 small shallot chopped
• 1 medium leek sliced
• 1 courgette cubed
• Handful of green beans chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 carrot sliced
• 5-6 baby potatoes halved
• 6-8 button mushrooms quartereded
• 8 cloves of garlic – 3 chopped for marinade
• 400 gm tin of cannelini beans drained
• 400 gm tin of barlotti beans drained
• 400 gm tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp crushed red chilli flakes
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 3 tbsp oilve oil
• Few sprigs of fresh basil and parsley chopped to garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

How much will I make?

Serves 4

How do I make it?

First marinade the chicken thighs with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of crushed red chilli flakes, 3 chopped garlic cloves, chopped shallot and salt – set aside for a few hours.   Heat your oven proof casserole dish and sear the chicken pieces on both sides and remove.   Add remaining olive oil, garlic and rosemary to the same dish and stir for 30 seconds before adding sliced onions and  leeks – stir for a couple of minutes before adding the remaining vegetables.  Sprinkle 1 tsp Italian seasoning, l tsp crushed red chilli flakes and the stock cubes – add about 500 ml of water and stir.  Stir in the cannelini beans, borlotti beans and chopped tomatoes.  Place chicken on top of the vegetables, cover with lid and place the casserole in a pre-heated oven at 200 degree Centigrade for an hour or till the chicken is cooked through.   Garnish with chopped fresh basil and parsley.

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