Chicken Casserole with Chocolate
Another of our Mediterranean recipes with a sunny Moorish influence, this warming casserole includes chocolate, raisins and flaked almonds. It’s not as sweet as you might think – the chocolate, melted into the sauce at the end of cooking, adds subtle richness. As the chicken is jointed, boned and skinless, it cooks quite quickly too – an added bonus if you’d like to liven up a mid-week dinner.
- Prep time15 minutes
- 6 portions
Ingredients
- 55 g (2 oz) Bertolli original spread
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 6 lean streaky bacon rashers chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tsp sugar
- 12 bonned and skinned chicken thighs
- 300 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
- salt and black pepper
- 25 g (1 oz) flaked almond
- 50 g (1 3/4 oz) raisins
- 25 g (1 oz) good-quality plain chocolate bar grated
Nutritional Guidelines
(per serving)
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Instructions
- Heat 40g (1½ oz) of the Bertolli in a heavy based saucepan or flameproof casserole and add the onion, bacon, garlic and sugar. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.
- Add the chicken and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the stock, vinegar and seasoning. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt the remaining 15g (½ oz) Bertolli and stir in the flaked almonds. Cook, stirring, until golden brown. Leave to cool.
- Add the raisins to the casserole, cover and continue simmering gently for a further 10 minutes.
- A few minutes before serving, add the chocolate to the casserole, stirring until completely melted and blended into the sauce. Serve topped with the browned almond flakes.