Hearty Chicken Casserole with Sweet Potato Dumplings

This past week has been a very tough one for some of the people in my life, and will continue to be for some time. Thank-you very much to those who generously donated last week to the campaign to help Mel and her family, after their house burnt down.

My heart is also with my dear friend, whose father passed away on Thursday. My friend is the most resilient person I know – I am in awe of her seemingly endless capacity to give, including through her work. But I also wish she didn’t have to be. She is a beautiful mother (to the cutest, most chilled out little baby, who gives cuddles like a koala bear) and a wonderful friend, and I’m sending her lots of love.

I first made this for Miss Marzipan’s Food of Thrones Challenge back in April, dedicated to the Starks of Winterfell. A few people asked for the recipe … and then gently reminded me a couple of months later … I’ve finally gotten my butt into gear to finalise the recipe. It first came about as a bit of an ‘all in’, using bits and pieces I had in the fridge – so feel free to replace the vegetables and herbs with whatever you have.

Hearty Chicken Casserole with Sweet Potato Dumplings

Hearty Chicken Casserole with Sweet Potato Dumplings

Serves 4

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 100g bacon, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 1 roast chicken, meat removed and shredded
• 6-8 mushrooms, diced

Dumplings:

• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree/mash
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large free-range egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, and heat olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat (use a casserole dish if you have one that is suitable for use on the stove-top as well as in the oven).

2. Fry the onion, leek and bacon over medium heat until onion has softened. Add the carrot, celery, zucchini and thyme, and cook for 3 – 5 minutes until vegetables have softened. Add the flour and stir for 1 – 2 minutes.

3. Add the chicken stock, and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened. Add the shredded roast chicken and the mushrooms and stir to combine. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish.

4. To make the dumplings, whisk the sweet potato puree/mash with the milk and egg until well combined. Add the salt and flour, and mix until combined. Drop spoonfuls of mixture, evenly spaced apart, onto the top of the chicken casserole (I got nine dumplings using this amount).

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until dumplings are golden and have puffed up.

In the next week or two, I’m hoping to contribute to Diana’s ‘blue food’ challenge, to raise awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease. You can check out her creations, and others, at @bodybewell.