Chicken breasts are slowly cooked in a tomato-based sauce and served with a baked potato and seasonal vegetables.
Chicken and Bacon Casserole
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, skinned
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) flour
- Black pepper
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) oil
- 25 g (1 oz) butter
- 4 back bacon rashers
- 50 g (2 oz) onion, finely chopped
- 300 ml (10 fl oz) hot water
- 1 organic chicken stock cube or 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 8 whole tinned tomatoes, plus juice
- To garnish
- Chunky croutons
- Chopped parsley
To serve
- 4 baked potatoes
- Seasonal vegetables
Equipment
- A deep-sided sauté pan with lid
- Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.
- Put the flour and some pepper into a plastic storage bag, add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Reserve the remaining flour in the bag.
- Heat the oil and butter in the sauté pan over a moderate heat and brown the chicken pieces, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Cut the bacon rashers into thin strips and fry gently in the pan for 2 minutes, until the fat starts to run. Add the onion and continue to cook until the onion starts to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the reserved flour into the pan and stir until the mixture has thickened. Mix the stock cube/1tsp bouillon into the water and add slowly to the pan, stirring constantly, until well combined. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and add the tomatoes.
- Return the chicken to the pan, cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and keep warm. Place the sauté pan on the hob and over a medium to high heat reduce the sauce to thicken. Put the chicken back in the pan, scatter the croutons over and add some chopped parsley.
- Serve with baked potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
- For the croutons
- These are so easy to make. Remove the crusts from 2 slices of bread (preferably a day old), cut into cubes and put in a bowl. Sprinkle over about 2 teaspoons of olive oil, some dried parsley and black pepper. Toss together.
- Layer on a small baking tray covered with baking paper/parchment paper and put in the oven for 12–14 minutes.