Cider Braised Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 chicken thighs
• 125g streaky bacon, rind removed, sliced
• 200g pearl barley, washed
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 250g leeks, sliced in rounds
• 250g carrots, sliced
• 250g peas, frozen
• 300ml chicken stock
• 300ml cider, dry
• 25g butter
• Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

METHOD

1. Prep the chicken thighs by trimming the excess skin from underneath each one, then season with salt and pepper.
2. In your Denby cast iron casserole heat the olive oil, put the thighs in skin-side down and brown for 5 minutes. Turn over and lightly brown the other side. Remove and set to one side.
3. Discard most of the fat from your casserole dish and gently fry the bacon until lightly golden. Add the garlic, butter, carrots, leeks and the pearl barley and cook for a couple of minutes until everything starts to soften.
4. Stir in the cider and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add the chicken thighs skin-side up, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the peas and simmer for another 5 minutes until the chicken, pearl barley and vegetables are cooked and the liquid is reduced.
6. Season with salt and pepper, a handful of chopped parsley and spoon out into Denby bowls. Enjoy!