Chicken Leg and Bacon Casserole

Chicken casserole recipes of many different types are plentiful both online and offline. There is a tendency, however, for some of these recipes to be made unnecessarily complicated and require preparation and cooking times which are either not possible in your busy lifestyle or simply represent more inconvenience than they are perceived to be worth. This chicken leg and bacon casserole can be prepared in five minutes and cooked unattended in forty-five, leaving you free to get on with whatever else demands your attention. Alternatively, you could use this recipe in your slow cooker or crockpot and allow it to cook to perfection while you are out all day at work.

Ingredients for Two Generous Portions

4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
4 rashers of bacon
1 large potato
1 large carrot
1 medium onion
2 pints of fresh chicken stock
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
Optional fresh basil leaves to garnish

Method

Put your oven on to preheat to 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4.

Peel the vegetables and chop them in to a large dice of around 1". Lay the chicken legs and thighs in a large casserole dish, with the vegetables and bacon scattered roughly in between. Season with the dried thyme, salt and pepper. Heat the chicken stock and pour it carefully over the top. Note that you may not need the full two pints, only enough to cover the solid ingredients or come to within an inch of the rim of the casserole dish. Place the lid on your dish and pop it in to the oven for forty to forty-five minutes.

I always like to take the dish out of the oven when the chicken casserole is ready and let it sit for about fifteen minutes before service. I believe this allows the meat to rest a little bit and improves the texture and flavours.

Serve your casserole in deep plates, with some fresh, crusty bread on the side.