Chicken, red wine & garlic casserole

Serves 6
Calories: kcal/serving

Mary Berry, "Foolproof Cooking"

Can be made up to 3 days ahead.

Ingredients

400g baby shallots
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small bunch thyme
4 bay leaves
600ml (1 pint) red wine
6 chicken breasts (skin/boneless)
2 tbps olive oil
75g butter
3 tbsp plain four
350g lardons
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
400g button mushrooms, halved
salt & freshly ground black pepper



Method

  1. Marinate the chicken in the wine, shallots, garlic & herbs for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 140C fan.

  2. Strain the marinated chicken into a large saucepan, reserving the shallots, bay leaves and thyme. Dry the chicken.

  3. Heat the oil and butter in a casserole dish, and fry the chicken on both sides for 5-10 minutes on a medium-high heat until browned all over. Set aside.

  4. Meanshile, boil the marinade over a high heat for 5-10 minutes, so that it reduces to 400ml. Measure the flour into a bowl, and add 150ml water and whisk until smooth before stirring in a little of the hot wine, then add this mixture to the rest of the wine in the pan. Keep hot.

  5. Add the bacon to the casserole dish and fry over a high heat (in batches if needed) for about 10 minutes until browned, then add the reserved shallots and cook for another 10 minutes until starting to soften.

  6. Add the hot wine source, tomato puree, sugar, bay leaves and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Stir until thickened and add the chicken. Bring back to the boil, cover, and transfer to the oven for 20-25 minutes.

  7. Fry the mushrooms over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, then add to the casserole just before serving.

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