Herby Free Range Chicken With Creamy Leek Sauce & Mash

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7, boil a kettle and take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Peel your potatoes and chop into large, bite-sized pieces, then top, tail, peel and chop your carrot[s] into thin batons

Chop your leek[s] in half lengthways, wash thoroughly then top, tail and slice finely, then peel and finely chop your garlic

Add the chopped potatoes to a pot with plenty of boiled water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 12-15 min or until fork-tender

Once done, drain and return to the pot to steam dry and reboil half a kettle

Meanwhile, season your free range chicken breast portion[s] with your dried thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the seasoned chicken to the pan and cook for 3 min on each side or until golden

Once golden, transfer to a baking tray (or two!) and reserve the pan

Add the carrot batons and a knob of butter to a large piece of tin foil with a pinch of salt and a splash of cold water

Scrunch the foil around the carrots to form a tightly sealed parcel (or two!) and add to the other side of the baking tray[s]

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 12-14 min or until the carrots are fork-tender and the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – these are your glazed carrots and herby chicken

Dissolve your chicken stock mix in 250ml [325ml] [425ml] boiled water – this is your chicken stock

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the sliced leek to the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until softened

Once softened, add the chopped garlic and 2 tsp [3 tsp] [4 tsp] flour to the pan and cook for 30 secs

Add the chicken stock to the pan and cook for 2-3 min or until the sauce starts to thicken

Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat and stir through your Dijon mustard (not a mustard fan? Go easy!) and crème fraîche – this is your creamy leek sauce

Return the drained potatoes to a low heat with a knob of butter and a splash of milk, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper

Mash until smooth – this is your buttery mash