Chicken and Chorizo Slow Cooked Casserole

Batten down the hatches…there’s a storm coming! After some unseasonably warm weather (20 degrees in October? Madness) we are finally set for something slightly more autumnal, namely the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo. This turn in the weather coincides with our new wood burning stove being fitted and although it’s not operational immediately, and the room isn’t decorated yet, it’s in and makes me feel cosy already! So here’s a simple, warming slow cooker recipe that will warm the cockles when the storm sets in. It’s low carb and for those doing The Harcombe Diet, it’s Phase 2 friendly (as long as your chorizo is sugar free) . Serve with lots of steamed veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower, or whatever suits your taste. For non-low carb people, It’s equally lovely with a jacket potato, rice or big wedges or bread to soak up the yummy juices.

Yes, I had already taken one out to feed the children before I took the photo! Oops!

Chicken and Chorizo slow cooked casserole You will need…

• 6 Chicken Thighs (bone in, skin on)
• Chorizo sausage ⅓ sliced and halved. (I use spicy but you don’t have to)
• 1 onion – sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic – finely chopped
• 1 can plum tomatoes
• mushrooms – sliced
• carrot – diced
• Chicken stock cube (omit for THD)
• Smoked paprika
• Ancho chilli powder
• Coriander (ground)
• Salt and pepper

I’m being deliberately vague with quantities because it depends on the size of your slow cooker and how many people you are feeding, and your tastes. You can vary the veg depending on what you’ve got in stock, what’s seasonal or what your family like. Pepper would work well. I have also used leek. Method

• Add the sliced onion to the bottom of your slow cooker bowl
• Pop the veg (including the garlic) on top and season with salt and pepper, coriander, chilli powder and the paprika
• Sit the chicken thighs on top of the veg and scatter over the chunks of chorizo
• Pour the can of tomatoes over the thighs
• Crumble the stock cube over the top and add a very small splash of water to the tomato tin, swirl and pop in
• Cook on HIGH for around 4 hours – just leave it to do its thing! Your casserole will be ready but you can turn it onto low and leave until ready to serve. You can alter the cooking times depending on your make of slow cooker.

Little tips: For those who like a thicker sauce, you can add some cornflour made into paste with cold water about half an hour before serving. This will thicken up the tomato and veggie juices nicely. This isn’t Harcombe friendly! No slow cooker? No problem! Simply add all the ingredients to a large casserole dish and pop into a medium oven (around 180) for a couple of hours. You may like to soften the onion with the chorizo first, and you’ll need a bit more liquid (250ml should be fine). Check after an hour and add a little extra if required.