If you like recipes with loads of flavors, this verjuice chicken and leek stew is the answer. You’ll love the highly acidic flavour verjuice provides.
Looking for more chicken stews and casseroles?
Ingredients
Method
1.Place one chicken, breast-side down, on a chopping board. Cut down both sides of the backbone using kitchen scissors; discard backbone (or reserve for another use, see tips). Turn chicken over; press down firmly and steadily onto the breast bone to break so the chicken lies flat. Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Repeat with remaining chicken.
2.Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 7 litre (28-cup) cast iron or other flameproof casserole dish (see tips) over high heat. Add one chicken, breast-side down; cook, pressing legs down so they touch the base of the dish, for 10 minutes or until chicken is golden brown. Transfer to a large plate or tray. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and remaining chicken; transfer to a large plate or tray.
3.Add mushrooms and shallots to same dish; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add verjuice, scraping base of dish; cook for 1 minute or until simmering. Return chickens to dish, side-by-side; top with leek, chopped tarragon and stock; season. Reduce heat to low; cook, covered with a tight-fitting lid, for 1 hour or until chickens are cooked through.
4.Heat remaining oil in a small frying pan over low heat; cook extra tarragon for 20 seconds or until crisp. Drain on paper towel.
5.Stand casserole dish, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer one of the chickens to a serving platter; cut into four pieces. Spoon over half the mushrooms, leek and sauce and top with crispy tarragon.
6.Cut remaining chicken into four pieces; transfer to an airtight container with remaining vegetables and sauce. Cool, then store (see > store it).
We used a 25cm x 33cm (10in x 13¼in) oval cast iron casserole dish. Freeze the unused backbones to make your own chicken stock (page 230).
> serve it Serve with roast potatoes (page 23) or, if you prefer, lyonnaise potates (page 22).
> store it Refrigerate chicken stew in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge, then reheat in
a microwave
Note
