Italian chicken casserole and lemony rice

A delicious, saucy and warming chicken casserole served with a piquant rice. The stock cooked is used in both the casserole and in the accompanying rice dish.

• Serves: 4
• Difficulty: easy
• Prep time: 5 - 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients

Stock and chicken

• 2 liter water
• 1 kg chicken leg quarters
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 6 whole peppercorns
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 parsley stalks

Casserole

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) oil
• 250 g baby onions, peeled quartered
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 leeks, cut into rounds
• 2 X 410 g cans chopped tomatoes
• chopped Italian parsley
• salt and pepper

Rice

• 1 liter prepared chicken stock (add boiling water if not enough)
• 375 ml (1 ½ cups) Spekko Long Grain Parboiled Rice
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• salt

Method

1. First cook the stock and chicken: In a large pot, add the chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, peppercorns and parsley.
2. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. This prepares the stock for the casserole and rice. Once the stock is ready, strain and keep the liquid. Remove the meat from the bones.
4. Preheat the oven to 145ºC.
5. In a separate cast iron pot heat and sauté the onions, leeks and minced garlic.
6. Add chicken meat and mix. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the canned tomatoes and two cups of the prepared chicken stock. Cover the pot with foil and the lid and bake for 45 minutes.
8. Place the remaining stock and rice in a pot. Boil for 15 minutes or until the rice is just tender. Add lemon juice and zest and adjust seasoning.
9. Serve the casserole, garnished with chopped Italian parsley, with the rice.