Slowly Baked Chicken and Vegetable Stew

 At this time of the year we have more vegetables than we can eat so they are often slowly roasted and then frozen. This recipe is a good way to use them up. Technically, it is not a stew but it is 'stew like'. I make quite a bit and in large quantities, it can be put on to cook and left for even longer than specified in the recipe. It also freezes very well. The mixture slowly cooks down, the vegetables go all soft and squishy and create a delicious and flavoursome sauce. There is no need to be exact with the amounts of each vegetable, aim for a colouful blend.

Baked Chicken and Vegetable Stew

During the slow cooking process the vegetable and chicken will create quite a bit of liquid. If to watery evaporate some of the liquid by reducing on the stovetop or thicken with some leftover gravy or commercial gravy mix. Chop or shred any leftovers to make a delicious sauce for pasta.

1 tablespoon olive oil or other 1 kg chicken thighs, cut in halves 1 onion 4 -6 cloves garlic ,crushed

1 or 2 red capsicum 1 or 2 green / yellow peppers 2 zucchini 1 kg tomatoes 1 or  eggplant, cut into long slices Freshly ground black pepper, salt Optional Fresh thyme/oregano generous pinch of chilli flakes Chopped parsley to serve

Preheat oven to 140 dec C.

Prepare vegetables.

Slice eggplant into eight wedges lengthwise.

Slice capsicum /peppers lengthwise, remove seeds and membranes, cut into long strips approximately 1.5 cm wide.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and then into pieces approximately 3 cm long.

Thinly slice or dice onion

Chop tomatoes into large dice or if using cherry tomatoes, leave whole

Combine oil, onion, garlic and vegetable except for tomatoes in a baking dish. Place chicken thigh pieces on top. Bake for an hour

Pour chopped tomatoes, herbs and chilli if using and salt and pepper over the chicken mixture. Bake for a further 40 minutes.

 Combine oil, onion, garlic and vegetable except for tomatoes in a baking dish. Place chicken thigh pieces on top. Bake for an hour

Pour chopped tomatoes, herbs and chilli if using and salt and pepper over the chicken mixture. Bake for a further 40 minutes.

If I use a bag of frozen zucchini  I add it with the tomatoes.