Catherine Fulvio’s favourite Italian chicken hotpot

TV Chef, food writer and owner of Ballyknocken House & Cookery School, Catherine Fulvio is this week’s Irish Times Food Month guest chef and each day she will share one of her favourite Italian recipes.

Fulvio does not believe in complicated recipes with expensive ingredients. Instead her focus is on creating recipes that are seasonal, doable and delicious, while not compromising on flavour.

Italian-style tomato, shallot and rosemary chicken hotpot

My first slot on TV was presenting a series of one-pot wonders which I really believe are the solution to healthy, nutritious everyday meals for our busy lives.

I love this delicious and nutritious one-pot recipe as it uses lots of herbs - rosemary, garlic and oregano - as well as some lovely Mediterranean flavours. With a potato topping this really is a meal in one and is packed with vegetables. It freezes very well too.

Catherine Fulvio’s one-pot healthy soup

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Catherine Fulvio’s ‘poor folks’ spaghetti: a taste of traditional Italy

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Catherine Fulvio’s winter warmer in a bowl

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Serves 4

Ingredients
FOR THE HOTPOT
Olive oil, for frying
8 deboned, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 shallots, peeled and halved
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 tsp chopped rosemary
2 tsp chopped oregano
400g tinned diced tomatoes
1 tsp honey
500ml chicken stock
12 black olives, pitted

FOR THE POTATO AND PARMESAN TOPPING
4 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp melted butter mixed with 1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp grated Parmesan
2 tsp chopped mixed rosemary and oregano

Method

1 Heat a little oil in a casserole dish over a medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sear until golden brown. Place on a clean plate and set aside. Add the shallots and sauté for about 4 minutes, until golden, before adding the garlic and cooking for 1 minute. Then add the carrot, rosemary and oregano as well as the tomatoes, honey and chicken stock. Bring to the boil and check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required.

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Return the chicken thighs to the casserole dish, stir well and add the olives. For the topping, arrange the potato slices neatly over the top of the hotpot, starting from the outer edge and leaving a small space in the centre. Brush the potato slices with the melted butter and oil mix and sprinkle the Parmesan and chopped herbs on top.

3 Bake in the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and golden. Leave to settle for 5 minutes, then sprinkle a little salt over the top before serving.
From A Taste of Home, published by Gill