Nigella praised chicken (SW friendly)

 

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

This recipe I first saw Nigella make on an episode of 'Kitchen' and thought at the time it looked so lovely and tasty and a brilliant way of making a chicken go a long way. I honestly thought I would have to add some bouillion powder or such like to the broth afterwards but no it makes the most delicious tasty broth, The chicken is soft and really juicy and the vegetables tender.

To make this slimming world friendly the only thing I did was make it early in the day and chill the broth so I could remove the fat from it. I will definitely make it again it was warming and filling :  )

Oh and its called 'praised' chicken as Nigella says its a cross between braised and poached and was one of her Mothers favourite recipes so to make it seems like an act of devotion which I think sounds so lovely.

Nigellas Praised Chicken



1 whole chicken
3 large carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)
2 sticks celery (cut into chunks)
2 leeks (washed well and cut into chunks)
salt and pepper
1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
1 tsp dried or a bunch of fresh parsley (chopped)
spray oil

(You need a large pot that can fit a chicken in comfortably with all the vegetables)

  First turn your chicken on to its front (breast side down) and press down hard on it so you hear the breastbone crack it sounds horrible I know but it makes the chicken sit better in the pot.

 Spray some oil into the pot and heat then place the chicken in breast side down for a few minutes then turn it back breast side up. 

Drop in the vegetables and herbs around the chicken with a good grinding of salt and pepper then just cover the whole chicken with cold water and bring to the boil.

Place a lid on the pot and then simmer for about  1 hr 30 minutes and then leave it sitting in the pot for another 30 minutes. 

Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a board and strip all the skin off and discard then carefully remove all the chicken meat from the carcass and put to one side.



Leave the broth to cool and then skim off all the fat, Reheat the broth with the chicken added back to it.

I served it (as Nigella did) over plain boiled rice.

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