Simple chicken stew

Preheat the oven to 150C, or as I do have the slow cooker ready. Cut up all veg and grains and throw into casserole pot. Add as much herbs + bay leaf as you like (I am very generous and do at least 2 tbs of thyme and 2 of parsley)

melt butter in pan, brown the chicken on a high heat. I turn the thighs every 15 seconds to get a great brown colour and flavour! Go for gold, not brown!

Put chicken in the pot with the veg. Add flower to the butter/ juices, stir into a roux. Slowly add the chicken stock bit by bit, making sure it is a smooth sauce before adding the rest. Once done add your sauce to the pot.

Cook for 4 hours in the oven/ slow cooker. If using a slow cooker, cook on high. Do not convert down to medium or low, thighs need a long time at a high temperature to be their best.

Once cooked, either ladle out and eat, or strip the chicken from the bones, mix into the stew then serve.