Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

70 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 chicken drumsticks (remove the skin)
• 175g pkt short-cut bacon rashers, coarsely chopped
• 1 leek, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 800g can diced Italian tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
• 80g baby spinach leaves
• Cooked polenta, to serve
• Basil pesto, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Heat the oil in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add half the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 8 minutes or until brown all over. Transfer chicken to a 4-litre (16-cup) capacity ovenproof dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
2. Add bacon, leek and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add tomato, wine, stock cube, thyme and rosemary, and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Pour over the chicken.
3. Cover and bake in oven for 40 minutes or until chicken is tender. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a bowl. Stir the chickpeas and spinach into the tomato mixture. Cover and set aside for 3 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pan. Serve with polenta and basil pesto.

Source

Taste.com.au – June 2010, Page 36
Recipe by Michelle Southan, Food editor – Australian Good Taste