Chicken casserole with dumplings

(serves 4)

I love a good chicken casserole, no matter what time of the year, however especially during the winter months. It’s such a great way of using up leftover veg swimming around the fridge. It’s also super nourishing. This dish is a huge hit with the whole family. I think the homemade dumplings definitely help! All you have to do is bung it all in a casserole dish and let it cook away.

Ingredients
Casserole
8 skin on chicken thighs
1 onion
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 cup butternut squash cubed
2 carrots chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp dried thyme
Large handful fresh parsley
500ml chicken stock
Seasoning
Extra large handful of greens-I used cavelo nero
1 cup barley

Dumplings
500g unsalted butter softened
140g spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder

Method
Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Place on top of the casserole and put in a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 180c °C to cook. Use a casserole dish. Add all the ingredients to the dish and allow to cook away for 30 minutes or so. Make sure the chicken is cooked through and everything is all juicy and soft.

Then, to make the dumplings, simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Place on top of the casserole and put in a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 180 to cook.