Chicken Casserole With Leek and Vegetables

Aus Janet's Note:

After looking for a chicken casserole recipe, I combined different ideas to come up with a complete meal. I cooked this in my slow cooker but you could put in oven as well. Add or subtract vegetables to your liking. This is in Australian metric measures.

• Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 6 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 8-12

Yield: 5.0 litres

• 2 kg chicken pieces
• 1 white leek , sliced
• 2 diced carrots , medium
• 2 diced potatoes , large
• 1 diced sweet potato
• 1 stalk of diced celery
• 1 (400 g) can diced tomatoes
• 300 g sliced mushrooms
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 liter chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons plain flour

Directions:

1. Cook chicken pieces with tablespoon oil in pan and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.
2. Remove any excess fat from pan, add 1 tbsp of butter and cook potatoes, sweet potato, celery and carrots for 1 to 2 minutes and remove.
3. Cook mushrooms for 1 minute in 1 tbsp butter, remove.
4. Add 2 tbsp butter to pan with 1 tbsp oil, add sliced leeks and garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until soft. Remove.
5. Add 2 tbsp butter to pan, add flour and cook for 1 minute or until butter is absorbed. Slowly add chicken stock stirring between additions until you have a smooth "gravy". Add additional stock or water if too thick. Add thyme and cook for 1 minute.
6. Put all ingredients into slow cooker or casserole dish and mix well. Slow cook for 6 hours or until meat is thoroughly cooked. If cooking in oven, chicken should be cooked in 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
7. Serve as is or with mash or noodles.
8. If you are cooking this in the oven, you may want to reduce this recipe in half to accommodate standard casserole dishes. I have a hungry family to feed so we cook enough for two dinners.
9. Leftovers can also be put in pie.