It’s the time of year when you just want some warming, comforting foods and your slow cooker is your best friend! This can be cooked in the oven if you have the time, or can be whacked into the slow cooker and left to cook away while you just get on with your day. Packed with nutrients, protein and vegetables, this is a family favourite for us.

Chicken and Vegetable Stew

2 medium onions
2 leeks
2 carrots
2 cloves of garlic
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
rapeseed oil
200 g celeriac
6 new potatoes
8 skinless boneless free range chicken thighs
600 ml organic vegetable stock
4 tbsp Henderson’s relish (or Lea & Perrins for those that aren’t Northerners!)

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Peel and dice the onion. Trim, wash and slice the leeks 1cm thick and cut the carrots into rough chunks. Peel and finely slice the garlic and pick the thyme leaves, discarding the stalks.

Heat 2tbsp oil in a large pan on a medium heat, then add the onion. Add the thyme leaves and fry for a few minutes, or until starting to brown.

Next, add the leeks, carrots, and garlic and cook for around 10 minutes, or until the leeks start to soften, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the celeriac, then roughly chop the potatoes. Add the chicken, celeriac and potatoes to the pan. Stir in the relish, add a good grinding of black pepper and stir to coat.

Pour in the hot stock, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low. Crumple up and wet a piece of greaseproof paper, then open it out and place on top of the stew. Cover with a lid and pop in the oven for 1 hour (or add to a slow cooker) until the chicken is super-tender.

Take the chicken out of the oven (or do this in the slow cooker) and gently break the chicken up into the stew.Serve with some green leafy vegetables.

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