• This is a super-easy and tasty coq au vin-style casserole that cooks slowly in the Breville Multi Chef until the chicken falls off the bone. The herb dumplings turn it into a hearty dinner dish, but you can replace these and serve it with mashed potatoes, couscous or rice instead.

    Chicken with red wine and herb dumplings

    Serves: 4
    Cooking Time: 3½ – 4 hrs

    Ingredients

    • 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
    • 8 chicken pieces (thighs and legs), skins on
    • 125g streaky bacon, chopped
    • 10 – 12 small pickling onions, peeled
    • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
    • 1 large carrot, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
    • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) cake flour
    • 375ml (1½ cups) dry red wine
    • 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 5ml (1 tsp) dried thyme leaves
    • 10ml (2 tsp) oregano
    • few sprigs fresh thyme + extra,to garnish
    • 250g button mushrooms, larger ones halved
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • HERB DUMPLINGS

    • 330g cake flour
    • 10ml (2 tsp) baking powder
    • 5ml (1 tsp) salt
    • 15ml (1 tbsp) fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, chives, etc.), finely chopped
    • 180ml (¾ cup) milk
    • 45g butter, melted

    Instructions

    1

    Heat the Breville Multi Chef to ‘Sear’. This will take 3 minutes.

    2

    At the same time, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat, and brown the chicken pieces, about 3 minutes on each side.

    3

    While the chicken is browning, fry the bacon in the Multi Chef until it starts to crisp up, about 3 minutes. Add the small onions and the chopped onion and sauté until soft, 5 minutes. Add the carrot, garlic and celery and fry for a further minute or 2. Stir through the flour to coat all of the vegetables, add the wine, stock and herbs and bring to a boil. When it reaches boiling point, turn the Multi Chef off and restart it, setting it to ‘Slow cook high’. Add the chicken pieces, cover and cook, 40 minutes.

    4

    Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for another 2 – 2½ hours.

    5

    Shortly before the end of the cooking time, start mixing up the dumpling batter. Mix together all of the dry ingredients with the herbs. Add the milk and stir gently to combine. Add the melted butter and mix lightly (don’t overwork this). Roll the dumplings into 12 – 14 golf ball-sized balls.

    6

    When the casserole is ready, drop the dumplings evenly across the surface, allowing them to submerge about halfway into the liquid. Adjust the temperature control again by turning off the Multi Chef and restarting it on the ‘Sear’ setting. This will boost the amount of steam in the bowl and help the dumplings puff up and cook. Allow to steam for 15 minutes before turning the temperature back to ‘Slow cook high’. Continue cooking the casserole and dumplings for a further 5 – 10 minutes.

    7

    Serve hot garnished with fresh thyme.

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    ALSO SEE: Chicken, cumin and honey meatballs with orzo

    Chicken, cumin and honey meatballs with orzo

    Imka Webb
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com