Oven-Baked Creamy Chicken & Bay With Crushed Potatoes

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!

Take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7 and boil a full kettle

Add your potatoes to a baking tray and prick them a few times with a sharp knife, add a drizzle of olive oil and put the tray in the oven for 45 min or until cooked through

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

Peel and halve your shallot[s]

Crush your garlic open by squashing them with the side of a knife and discard the skins

Once the dish is hot, add the chicken thighs with a generous pinch of salt and pepper

Add the halved shallot[s] and peeled garlic with 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] flour and give everything a good mix up

Add 260ml [300ml] [420ml] boiled water with your Chinese rice wine and chicken stock mix

Add your bay leaves and bring to the boil over a high heat

Cover with a lid and put the dish in the oven for an initial 35 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your chicken & bay

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

Meanwhile, add your Tenderstem broccoli to a large piece of tin foil with a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] cold water and a generous drizzle of olive oil

Scrunch the foil around the Tenderstem broccoli to form a tightly sealed parcel, then set aside until later

After the initial 35 min, add the Tenderstem broccoli parcel[s] to the tray with the potatoes and cook for 10-12 min or until tender with a bite

Remove the dish from the oven and stir through your double cream, then return the dish to the oven, lid on, and cook for a final 8-10 min or until the sauce has slightly thickened – this is your creamy chicken & bay

Once everything is ready, remove the potatoes from the oven and crush them firmly with a spatula, then add a knob of butter and a generous pinch of salt