Sasha’s Chicken and Tomato Casserole

Since receiving my Le Creuset casserole dish last week and knowing full well the reason it was purchased as a ‘gift’ I have felt the pressure of cooking my first dish in this beautiful piece of craftsmanship! And oh boy did I feel the pressure…came Friday morning I was literally showing sweat beads from nervousness. I just could not decide what it was that I shall make in my new Casserole for the first time that would set the precedent of what would come out for years to come.  

And so I took one look in the fridge for what would complement the chicken I wanted to prepare, and just pulled out what I had. I based this dish on what I ate one on one of our trips to Israel that Efi’s mom prepared for Shabbos except she had a whole chicken that she stuffed with rice and vegetables on the side, I however had only skinned chicken pieces and vegetables on hand. And so I started, only wishing for the best…

This dish was prepared in a 30cm casserole dish.

6 pieces of skinned chicken thighs and drumsticks

5 Tblsp of tomato paste

1 Onion chopped

2 large carrots peeled and diced

A selection of mixed marrows (I used a total of 11 of those pictured)

3 large potatoes diced

500ml chicken soup

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Corn flour should you wish to thicken the sauce

Brown onion, adding Chicken to it and brown briefly before stirring in the tomato paste and chicken soup. Turn heat right down to a simmer and add your vegetables.

Pre-heat oven to 150C. Let the dish simmer for approximately 1 hour before transferring to oven, with the lid on, for approximately another hour.

I prepared a plain brown rice on the side to serve with.

I was most pleasantly surprised as it turned out to be one of my best creations, funny how that happens. This is one dish I will most definitely prepare time and time again.

Good Shabbos and Shabbat Shalom!