- Serves 3 to 4 - Ready in 1 hour -
*uses up 2 large handfuls of spinach leaves *
Gather together…
2 tbsp oil (olive oil or rapeseed oil).
6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs.
1 onion, chopped quite finely.
4 garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped).
100g (3 average sized) mushrooms, sliced.
80g fresh tomatoes, chopped up into quite small pieces.
400ml boiling water.
2 tsp stock powder e.g. 'Marigold Less Salt Swiss Vegetable Bouillon powder' (available in bulk 1kg tubs) - sieved.
1/2 tsp chilli flakes.
Pinch of ground pepper.
200g (a rounded cup) dried orzo pasta (pasta that looks like large grains of rice).
300g tub of creme fraiche.
2 big handfuls of spinach leaves (washed well and chopped up into small strips with scissors).
Serve with…
Crusty fresh bread or use de-frosted, sliced up panini.
Get cooking…
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (160 C fan) or Gas 4.
2. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a large, lidded casserole dish / pan (without the lid at this point), over a medium-low heat for 2 minutes.
3. Slightly brown the (skinned and boneless) chicken thighs in the pan (one side of the chicken only at this stage), for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile boil a half-full kettle of water.
5. Add the chopped onion and the 4 chopped garlic cloves to the pan to brown too. Turn the chicken over and slightly brown the other side for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent anything sticking to the base of the pan.
6. Add the 100g of sliced mushrooms, the 80g of diced fresh tomatoes and the 400ml of boiling water. Sieve in the 2 tsp of bouillon powder. Also add the 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes and the pinch of ground pepper. Stir well.
7. Heat the casserole pan gently until simmering (this will take about 5 minutes).
8. Put the casserole dish into the oven (with the lid ON) for 20 minutes.
9. Next add the 200g (a heaped cup) of dried orzo pasta, stir well and cook for a further 20 minutes in the oven, with the lid ON.
10. Then remove the casserole dish from the oven (you can turn the oven off now) and add the tub of creme fraiche and the sliced up spinach leaves (2 big handfuls). Stir well.
11. Heat the pan over a medium-low heat on the hob until it is back to simmering, to wilt the spinach.
12. Serve with fresh crusty bread (or de-frosted, sliced up panini) to mop up the juices - enjoy!
This recipe was adapted from Dean Edward's 'Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pot' recipe in his 'Cook Slow, Light and Healthy' book. I don't like to leave a pan on the hob for ages as I inevitably burn the contents - so I adapted the recipe to be cooked mainly in the oven.