ONE POT CHICKEN WITH PEARL BARLEY & THYME

All cooked in one pot, this healthy chicken and pearl barley dish is a great one to feed a gang and it is high in fibre, too.

Serves 6

● 1tbsp sunflower oil

● 8 skinless chicken thighs, bone in

● 1 large onion, chopped

● 2 carrots, finely diced

● 2 large garlic cloves, crushed

● 225g (8oz) pearl barley

● 200ml (7fl oz) white wine

● 700ml (1¼pt) chicken stock

● 3 sprigs of thyme

● 125g (4½oz) frozen petits pois

● Juice of ½ a lemon

● A small bunch of parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2.

Place the oil in a wide-based ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole dish over a high heat. Season the chicken thighs and brown them on all sides, until golden. Remove from the dish and set aside.

Add the onion and carrots to the dish and fry for a few minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Stir in the pearl barley and pour in the wine. Bring to the boil and allow the wine to reduce for a few seconds. Add the stock and thyme sprigs, cover with a lid and boil for 10 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan, transfer the dish, uncovered, to the oven and cook for about 50-60 minutes, until the pearl barley is tender. Stir in the petits pois and lemon juice for the final 5 minutes of the cooking time.

Remove the sprigs of thyme, sprinkle with the chopped parsley.