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- Sweet, mellow leeks form the backbone of the stew, enhanced by earthy mushrooms, fresh thyme, and Dijon for gentle depth.
- A light coating of flour before browning gives the chicken a golden crust and naturally thickens the simmering sauce.
- A spoonful of sour cream whisked in at the end lends tang and silkiness to the finished dish.
Jamie Oliver’s low-lift chicken and leek stew comes together from a relatively short ingredient list in just about 45 minutes, making it a terrific meal option any night of the week. It features tender leeks, cremini mushrooms, and chunks of skinless, boneless chicken breast, all perfumed with fresh thyme and made creamy with a generous dollop of mustard-tinged sour cream. Oliver recommends serving it over steamed rice.
How to prepare leeks
If you’re not accustomed to cooking with leeks, you might be mystified by their scallions-on-steroids appearance. Not to worry! They do require a bit more TLC than scallions, but preparing them is not difficult. After you’ve given your leeks an initial rinse, trim off the bottom root end. Then remove the tough, darker green portion of the leaves (no need to simply discard them; instead, freeze them with other scraps for making stock later). What remains is what you’ll use in the recipe. But before you continue cutting the leeks to size, you’ll want to clean them — they’re notorious for trapping dirt and sand between their layers. To do this, slice them down the middle vertically from top to bottom, then fan out the exposed layers under running water to wash away any debris. The leeks are now ready to be thinly sliced.
Stew vs. casserole
They may resemble one another in the end, but the difference between stew and casserole lies within the cooking method. Stews are made on the stovetop, cooking and concentrating the flavors from underneath until the liquid thickens to a gravy-like consistency. The components of a casserole may also be cooked on the stovetop, but ultimately the assembled dish is finished by baking it in the oven, with heat penetrating it from all angles.
Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
This stew recipe is greater than the sum of its parts, owing largely to the natural affinity between the chicken and leeks, fresh thyme, and Dijon mustard. Leeks are sweeter and more subdued than regular onions, adding a sophisticated depth to this cozy meal — don’t be tempted to swap them out!
Suggested pairing
Match this chicken and leek recipe with a rich California Chardonnay.
