Chicken and Cider hotpot

As i've finished all of my uni assignments i've gone home for a bit. Tonight i helped Dad cook his chicken and cider hotpot for tea. It's pretty simple but it takes a while however it is oh so worth it. Here's how to make it...


This recipe is based on at least 6 people so you will probably want to reduce the measures, although you could always freeze the leftovers for when you really can't be bothered to cook.


Ingredients:
6-9 chopped chicken breasts
3 peeled and chopped apples
2 peeled and chopped small pears
3 chopped onions
3 chopped peppers
6 copped carrots (wash them, but no need to peel)
5 peeled whole cloves of garlic
half a cup of cider vinegar or red wine vinegar (it's not the end of the world if you don't have this but it does make a difference)
2 cans of cider
salt and pepper
dried herbs: we used basil, oregano and thyme
2 chicken stock cubes


Serve with a jacket potato or rice


Turn the oven on ready at 180-200 degrees
First, fry the chicken until its browned which will take around 3-5 minutes. Add to an oven proof casserole dish.
Fry the apples and pears for around 5 minutes until they start to soften. Again, add to the dish.
Do the same for the veg, for this many people it'l probably take 2 batches of frying. Don't overload your pan otherwise they wont cook!


Warm the cider and vinegar in the pan and sprinkle in the stock cubes. Add to the mix.


Add the herbs. For 6 people you'll probably need around a heaped teaspoon of each. Then the garlic
Season with salt and pepper.


Give it all a mix, bung it in the oven for around an hour. All of the juices from the chicken will mix with the herbs and the fruits soften down into the sauce. The chicken becomes really tender in the sauce.


From past experience, sometimes the sauce needs thickening. When it's cooked if you think it is a little watery add a couple of tablespoons of flour and mix well.

If you're cooking it with jackets then they take around the same time to cook as well. Dampen the skin beforehand and rub with salt for an extra crispy skin!


This also goes really well with pork or sausages, but personally i think chicken is best with it as i love the 'fall apart in your mouth' texture the chicken has.


Although it is 'summer' and this is more of a wintery dish i know how freezing student houses can be as we hate to spend money putting the heating on! So warm yourselves up with this little treat with BIG flavour!


Bon Appetit,


Melon xxx