There’s nothing nicer than the tender chicken you get out of a slow-cooked stew. Think of the succulent meat falling straight from the bone, surrounded by tender carrots, bites of fluffy potato, and the richness of earthy mushrooms. This recipe is a classic and is the perfect sort of recipe for lobbing any extra ingredients you might have around the house into. It’s best to leave this cooking for the best part of the day, so perhaps preparing it at the weekend, or in the morning (if you have a crock pot) and giving it the correct amount of time to develop a full flavour would be best.     Although it takes a while to cook, the stew itself is quite easy to prepare. 1. Once you have all the vegetables ready to go (peeled and chopped and ready for action), then you need to begin frying them off. 2. Fry the veggies and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet till softened but not too browned. Transfer to the slow cooker. 3. Brown the chicken legs in the frying pan and place these on the veggies. Pour over the stock and add thyme and potatoes. 4. Season and cook on low setting for about 7 hours or on the high setting for 4 hours. 5. When it’s been cooked for that long, it will be ready to serve, we recommend big hearty bowls of the stuff.     You need nothing more with this – it’s a meal in one pot. Enjoy your wonderful winter chicken stew!   Visit Our Shop

If you are using leftover cooked potatoes, mash them up with the salt and butter. For raw potatoes, wash, peel and boil until tender, then drain and mash in a large baking bowl. Using the potatoes while still warm will give your bread a lighter texture. Use a wooden spoon to work the flour into the mashed potato until it forms a soft dough. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a round, roughly 1cm thick. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross through the dough, dividing it into 4 equal wedges. Heat a griddle or flat, heavy-based frying pan on a medium-high heat. Cook the wedges on the hot, dry griddle for 4–5 minutes each side until they develop a toasty giraffe-skin print. They will be quite soft, so handle carefully. Allow to cool slightly on a rack then eat while butter-meltingly warm. Alternatively, let the potato bread cool completely then enjoy fried or toasted. Top Tip: Try an avant-garde spud fusion by using sweet potatoes instead. They are naturally sweet and chewy, and will give your plate a bold burst of orange Want to try out more delicious recipes from Ciara? Buy her amazing cookbook Bread and Butter, Cakes and Bakes from Granny’s Stove.  BUY NOW   *This Book is available from February 28th 2022