Categories: casserole, chicken
Ingredients
- For the casserole
- 1 x 1.8kg/3lb 15oz whole chicken
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 350g/121/4oz rindless streaky bacon rashers, cut into 2cm/1/2in slices
- 1 large onion, peeled, roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 2cm/1/2in slices
- 700ml/1 pint 51/4fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
- few sprigs fresh thyme
- For the cheesy herb dumplings
- 350g/121/4oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp finely chopped mixed herbs (such as parsley thyme, rosemary or chives)
- 300ml/101/2fl oz buttermilk
- 25g/1oz cheddar, finely grated
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
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For the casserole, remove the breasts from the chicken and cut them in half.
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Remove the legs and joint them into thighs and drumsticks. This will yield eight chicken pieces in total. Season the chicken pieces, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Heat the olive oil in a large lidded casserole over a high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the casserole with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
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Add the chicken pieces to the casserole, in batches, turning each piece until browned on all sides. Remove each batch of chicken from the casserole and set aside on a warm plate.
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Add the onion and carrots to the casserole and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown.
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Return the cooked bacon and chicken pieces to the dish casserole. Pour over the stock, stir well, then add the thyme sprigs and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture slowly to the boil, then cover the casserole with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, for the cheesy herb dumplings, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the herbs and mix well, then make a well in the centre of the mixture.
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Pour 250ml/9fl oz of the buttermilk into the well. Stretch the fingers of one hand out like a claw, then mix the flour and buttermilk mixture together, adding more flour or more of the remaining buttermilk as necessary, until the mixture comes together as a soft dough. (NB: Do not overmix. You may not need to use all of the buttermilk).
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.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 2cm/¾in thickness. Cut 10-12 rounds from the dough using an upturned mug or cookie cutter and roll each into a ball.
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.Remove the casserole from the oven, then increase the heat to 230C/450F/Gas 8. Arrange the dumplings on top of the chicken mixture, leaving a slight gap between each dumpling to allow them to spread during cooking. Sprinkle over the cheese.
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.Return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, and cook for 10 minutes.
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.Reduce the heat to 200C/400F/Gas 6, and continue to cook the casserole for a further 20 minutes, or until the dumplings are crisp and golden-brown and the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly before serving.