Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients...

20 skinless and boneless chicken pieces (breast or thighs)

Olive or rapeseed oil

2 onions, peeled and diced

3  carrots, peeled and diced

300g smoked bacon, diced

3 bay leaves

1tbsp dried thyme

4tbsps tomato puree

250ml red wine (optional)

1ltr Essential Cuisine Chicken Stock (made up per instructions)

75g Essential Cuisine Premium Instant Gravy Mix

For the dumplings:

280g butter

500g self raising flour

½ tsp salt

Ground black pepper

150ml water

3tbsp mixed dried herbs

Method...

For the stew:

1. In a hot pan, fry the chicken pieces in the oil, until sealed all over. Remove from the pan and drain. Then place into an ovenproof dish.

2. In the same pan, heat the oil and cook the onion, carrot and bacon for 3-5 minutes or until the bacon has coloured.

3. Add in the tomato puree, mix well. Pour the red wine in and reduce by half.

4. Pour in the chicken stock and stir well. Add this to the chicken pieces and put on a lid before placing in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees C.

5. After 15 minutes, whisk in the gravy mix to thicken.

For the dumplings:

1. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until you have a breadcrumb texture. Stir in the herbs, salt and pepper. Drizzle in the water and stir quickly to form a light dough. Flour your hands and shape into small balls.

2. Place the dumpling on top of the stew and bake for a further 20 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through and golden brown.

3. Your Chicken Stew with dumplings is now ready to serve with fluffy mash or new potatoes.