Eating well doesn't have to mean spending hours in the kitchen or preparing food. Last time I gave some tips on how to shop well and cheaply at a time when going to the supermarket is more difficult than it normally would be. Whilst we are locked away in our houses, it's really important that we eat well, and for those of us on furlough or who have sadly lost our jobs, cheaply. Stews are a great way of cooking cheap, filling meals that are great for you.
This recipe is one I have used for years, and I've made a few changes to cut out the more expensive ingredients and cut down the cooking times (good to save on energy bills too). It's packed full of veg, easy to make and delicious.
Ingredients
Makes 6 Portions
1 kg Frozen Chicken Breast £3.50
6 Carrots £0.40
4 Parsnips £0.57
1 Swede £0.80
6 Potatoes £1.55
200g Peas £0.30
Gravy Granules £0.85
Salt
Pepper
Oil
Total* £7.97
Per Portion £1.32
Method
Defrost your chicken the night before
Cut all your veg into even-sized chunks
Preheat oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6 and put the chicken on the middle shelf for 40 - 45 minutes or until cooked all the way through
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Gently fry the veg (except the peas) in batches until it starts to colour and transfer to a large casserole dish or roasting tray.
Fill your casserole dish or roasting tray with cold water until it just covers the veg, lightly salt and sprinkle in some of the gravy granules.
Put your tray of veg in the top shelf of the oven and cook for one hour or until the veg is cooked through
When the chicken is done, cut into thick chunks and add to the veg with any cooking juices and your peas
Season to your taste and thicken with more granules if you want, cook for a further 5 mins until the peas are cooked and remove from the oven
Portion up
Serve
This is a super easy recipe to make, and it might not win any awards, but it's simple, hearty food that tastes amazing and won't break your bank. I'd usually cook some broccoli and cauliflower to go with this to make it even healthier, but try to avoid adding these to the veg as they may go a bit mushy, but couscous or rice work just as well.
*Prices correct at time of posting
Photo by Naim Benjelloun from Pexels