Robin Ellis

I revisited this dish on my blog a few days ago and was confused by my own description of my original recipe!

Confusion—sloppiness–Meredith might say, such as omitting to indicate when the tomatoes go in and adding the white wine twice!!

I wrote it up two-and-a-half years ago–in my more stumbling early days as recipe blogger….

That said, it has been one of the most visited recipes on my blog (just after no-potato fishcakes!).

I enjoyed cooking (and eating) it again, but didn’t have the optional red peppers to hand to brighten the ‘look‘. The red chilis, already in the recipe, stood in (warning: do not to EAT them!).

Local bonnet chilis–or “cardinals hats” [My name for them!]

‘Tis the season for a cosy chicken casserole–so here’s the recipe again–sans sloppiness (I hope!)

It reminds me of meals round the kitchen table at home in the fifties. It’s simple and inexpensive and would possibly stretch to a second meal–important factors for my mother, with a husband and three sons to feed on limited means.

Nothing exotic–except a little kick from the chilis, olives and peppers (optional)–comfort food really.

The low temperature of the oven helps keep the chicken moist–but you need to test for ‘doneness’.

If the juices run pink when you insert the tip of a knife into a leg joint–it needs a little more time.

100gm/4 oz  bacon/pancetta–diced small

3 sticks or a heart of celery– chopped small

1 medium onion–chopped small

1 clove of garlic–chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 free range chicken–cut into 8-10 pieces and washed and dried

125ml/4fl oz white wine

125ml/4fl oz of stock–I use organic vegetable stock cubes

8oz/250gms tinned [canned] drained tomatoes–chopped roughly into a mush

3 to 4 sprigs of rosemary

3 small fresh red chilis–kept whole

1 red pepper–cut in thin strips (optional–but adds color to the dish)

a handful of juicy black olives–stoned if you have the time

a handful of parsley–chopped

set the oven at 160c/320f

• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion, celery, bacon and garlic gently for about 20 minutes allowing them to colour–concentrating the taste.
• Spoon the mixture into an oven-proof casserole.
• Season the chicken pieces and heat another spoonful of oil in the frying pan.
• Sauté them on a highish heat–turning them as they brown.

• Add them to the casserole.
• Add the tomatoes to the frying pan and and stir vigorously.
• Add the wine and stock,  scraping the residue into the mix.
• Carefully pour this into the casserole.
• Tuck in the whole chilis and the rosemary sprigs.
• Turn over the contents, cover the casserole and bring to a simmer on the stovetop.
• Transfer the covered casserole to the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes.
• While this is in the oven, heat the third tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and gently sauté the strips of pepper–if using.
• Add the peppers and olives to the casserole after 30 minutes and cook, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes in the oven. (This can be done on the stovetop too.)
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

We had it with baked sweet potato–but it would also be delicious with basmati rice.

Those chilis are red hot and not for eating!