Chicken, mushroom and cider casserole

It's that time of the year when all thoughts culinary turn to warming stews, casseroles and stodgy puddings. (If you are reading this heading for summer, well, I'm envious!!).

This is where the slow cooker really comes into its own.

I have been chicken-sitting for friends who are on holiday in Australia and whilst there couldn't resist a peek at their cookery book collection. I thought my recipe library was huge but there are always new books to tempt me... I came across 'River Cottage Everyday' and thought I would give the Chicken, Mushroom and Cider casserole a whirl.

It's in the slow cooker as we speak and my, the kitchen smells amazing!

No, this isn't one of my friends' chickens!!

I always buy a whole chicken and joint it myself - it works out much cheaper. My usual supermarket had an offer on chickens this week. This one was £4.00...

... and I jointed it into two breasts (cut into six 'chunks'), two thighs, two drumsticks and two wings.

Guess where the carcass is going? Correct.... it will become Celery and Stilton soup later on!

There are plenty of 'how-to-joint-a-chicken' clips on the Internet if you google it. Much easier to see it being done than to try to explain it!

Dust the pieces of chicken in seasoned flour.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces, in batches, until nicely browned all over. 

Once browned, remove the chicken to the slow cooker pot (or a large casserole dish if you are going to cook this in the oven)

Add a good glug of cider to the pan to de-glaze it. It will bubble furiously but all those lovely flavourful bits of chicken will be released from the bottom of the pan.

Pour the cider over the chicken.

Chop up some mushrooms, any kind. I have used ordinary closed cup mushrooms.

Melt some butter in a pan and gently fry the mushrooms until they start to release their juices.

Add to the chicken, sprinkle with some dried mixed herbs, tuck a bay leaf or two in amongst the chicken and top up with a little more cider if necessary. The top of the chicken should be just showing through the cider.

 

 

 

When you are ready to eat, strain off the liquid into a clean pan, add a little cream and a teaspoon of English mustard. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Dish up the chicken, pour over the sauce and serve with a pile of velvety mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

 

Hearty, warming fare for a winter's evening.