Description
A comforting and creamy chicken stew featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with soft leeks, enriched with Dijon mustard and crème fraîche, and topped with a crispy parsley breadcrumb crust, perfect for a hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 leeks, halved and finely sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
- 1 tbsp butter
- 8 small chicken thighs
- 500ml chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 75g crème fraîche
- 200g frozen peas
- 3 tbsp dried or fresh breadcrumbs
- small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the leeks: Tip the leeks and olive oil into a flameproof casserole dish on low heat. Add the butter and cook everything very gently for 10 minutes or until the leeks are soft, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Brown the chicken: Place the chicken thighs, skin-side down, in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook until the skin browns nicely, then turn and brown the other side. If the skin starts to stick, add a little olive oil. Once browned, transfer the chicken to the leeks in the casserole dish, leaving any fat behind in the pan.
- Simmer the stew: Pour the chicken stock into the casserole dish with the leeks and chicken. Bring the mixture to a simmer, season well with salt and pepper, then cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and flavors to meld.
- Add the finishing touches: Stir in the Dijon mustard, crème fraîche, and frozen peas into the casserole. Bring everything back to a gentle simmer. The sauce should be quite abundant and creamy at this stage.
- Prepare the breadcrumb topping: Preheat the grill to high. Mix the breadcrumbs with the finely chopped parsley, then sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the chicken and sauce.
- Grill to finish: Place the casserole dish under the grill and cook until the breadcrumb topping is nicely browned and crispy. Serve immediately, enjoying the creamy stew with a crunchy topping.
Notes
- Use small chicken thighs for even cooking and tenderness.
- If you don’t have crème fraîche, sour cream can be used as a substitute.
- Breadcrumbs can be fresh or dried depending on your preference.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a splash of white wine before simmering the stew.
- Make sure to monitor the grill closely to avoid burning the breadcrumb topping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: chicken stew, creamy chicken, chicken thighs, leek stew, Dijon mustard chicken, creamy stew, comforting dinners
