Best Herbs For Chicken Casserole Food

MARY BERRY'S RATHER SPECIAL CHICKEN AND HERB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3. Place the bacon in a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole and fry over a medium heat for a few minutes to render out the fat. Add the onions and continue to fry until the bacon is brown at the edges. Transfer the bacon and onions to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside. Lightly season the chicken. Place the oil in the unwashed dish, add the chicken and brown over a high heat, turning once. Transfer to the plate with the bacon and onions. Scatter the flour into the dish (adding a little more oil, if needed) and stir to combine. Gradually incorporate the hot stock, whisking, and allow to thicken. Pour in the wine and return the bacon, onions and chicken to the pan. Stir well, add the thyme sprigs, sage sprigs and bay leaves. The sauce will be quite thick at this stage. Bring to the boil, season well with salt and black pepper and cover. Transfer to the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and add the mushrooms and crème fraîche. Stir well and return to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves and fry until crisp. Remove the bay leaves, thyme and sage sprigs from the casserole and discard (some leaves will have fallen off to flavour the casserole). Stir in the parsley and serve with the crisp sage leaves on top. Mary's Tips: Can be made up to a day ahead. Add the crème fraîche and mushrooms when reheating. Freezes well.

EASY ONE-POT CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Put the kettle on. Fry 8 bone-in chicken thighs in 1 tbsp oil in a casserole dish or wide pan with a lid to quickly brown.
• Stir in the whites of 5 spring onions with 2 tbsp plain flour and 2 chicken stock cubes until the flour disappears, then gradually stir in 750ml hot water from the kettle.
• Throw in 2 large carrots, in batons and 400g new potatoes, bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 mins.
• Take off the lid and simmer for 15 mins more, then throw in 200g peas for another 5 mins.
• Season, stir in 1 tbsp grainy mustard, the green spring onion bits, a small handful of fresh soft herbs and some seasoning.

HERB-ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the pancetta in a heavy-based frying pan and gently fry until crisp - if you start the pancetta slowly from a cold pan you shouldn't need to add oil. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add shallots to the pan, there should be some pancetta fat left, then fry for 10-15 mins until golden and starting to soften. Tip the shallots into your largest roasting tin.
• Rub the olive oil over both chickens, season well with salt and pepper, then snuggle the chickens into the tin. Roast for 1 hr 20 mins until golden and cooked through. To check they're cooked, pierce the thighs through to the bone - the juices should run clear. Lift the chickens onto a plate or another tin, cover with foil and rest while you finish the veg.
• Put the roasting tin directly on the hob and stir in the stock. Bubble for a few mins, scraping up any stuck bits, then stir in the peas, pancetta and most of the chopped tarragon. Bubble for a few mins more until the peas are cooked, then season and sit the chickens back on top, or transfer everything to a serving dish if you want a smarter presentation. Scatter the chickens with the remaining tarragon, and serve with potatoes - mashed, jacket or roasted, or boiled new potatoes.

CHICKEN AND HERBS

Steps:

• Arrange chicken in an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Whisk together the oil, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, rosemary, pepper, sage, marjoram and hot pepper sauce. Pour over chicken. , Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 30-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°, basting occasionally. Remove and discard skin from chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Drizzle with juice.

GARDEN HERB CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Strip all the leaves from the herb stalks then stuff the stalks into the chicken cavity with the lemon and garlic. Rub the chicken with olive oil and season. Sit it in a roomy roasting tray and place in the oven for 30 mins.
• Lower oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Take the chicken out of the oven and toss the potatoes in the pan juices, then cook for a further 30 mins.
• Drop bunches of tomatoes among the potatoes. Cook for 10 mins or until the tomatoes are just tender and the chicken is cooked through. Leave everything to rest for 10 mins, then scatter the chicken and potatoes with the herb leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, then serve.