138. Recipes // Simple Chicken & Leek Bake

My dad is a domestic God(ess); he looks after our entire home, from cooking to cleaning, DIY and looking after the pets. I often take this completely for granted and so, tonight, I decided it was time I helped him out a bit: I decided to cook dinner for the family.

I have a very picky younger sister, so I had to go for something fairly simple, nothing too exotic, and - of course - for my own sanity, I had to keep it straight-forward. That's where this tasty, easy dish comes in! It's subtle yet flavoursome; the chicken was deliciously moist, and the potatoes were lightly crisped.

It's a definite winner for the whole family as it's not overpowering, but it's still super tasty. I served it up with steamed broccoli and some sage and onion stuffing, almost like a mini (but healthier) Sunday dinner, but it would go equally well with a mass of veggies.

Ingredients (serves 5):

500g of chicken breast

4 x large potatoes (I used Maris Pipers')

2 x large leeks

1 x chicken stock cube

1 x pint of boiling water

Salt, pepper & herbs to season

Method:

Before beginning preparation, preheat the oven to 150 degrees

1. Dice the chicken into bitesize cubes

2. Slice the leeks to whichever thickness you prefer

3. Slice the potatoes finely (think potato gratin)

4. Spread the chicken on the bottom of a deep baking/casserole dish

5. Top the chicken with the sliced leeks

6. Ensure all chicken and leek is covered with the potato slices

7. Make your chicken stock using one stock cube and one pint of boiling water

8. Pour the stock over the potatoes

9. Season with black pepper, sea salt and mixed herbs

10. Cover with a lid, or foil, and bake in the oven for 90 minutes

When everything is cooked, dish it up and you can use the left over stock as a yummy gravy too.