One-Pot Chicken & Pepper Cacciatore

Before you begin...

This recipe takes around 5-10 min to prep, so get your casserole dish and all your ingredients ready, then wash your fruit and veg

Note: Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil

Now, let's get started!

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6, then take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Heat a large, wide-based, hob-safe oven-proof casserole dish with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Once hot, add your chicken thighs, skin-side down with a pinch of salt and half your dried thyme (save the rest for later!) and cook for 3-4 min or until browned

Meanwhile, boil a kettle

Peel and roughly chop your red onion[s]

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and roughly chop

Chop your potatoes (skins on) into bite-sized pieces

Dissolve your tomato paste, red wine paste and chicken stock mix in 250ml [325ml] [450ml] boiled water – this is your red wine stock

Once the chicken has browned, remove it from the dish and add the chopped onion, pepper and potatoes with the remaining dried thyme, dried oregano, roasted garlic paste and a pinch of salt

Cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the red wine stock with your chopped tomatoes, a generous grind of black pepper and 1/2 tsp [3/4 tsp] [1 tsp] sugar

Bring to the boil over a high heat, then return the browned chicken to the dish, skin side up

Put the dish in the oven, lid off, for 35-40 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) and the vegetables are tender – this is your one-pot chicken & pepper cacciatore

Use this time to clear up, set the table, have a cup of tea or simply chill!