This is one of my Mums old classics - when I moved out a couple of years back we sat down and wrote down all her recipes and top tips, and this is definitely one of my favourites. It's comfort food at its best, but also has great flavours and tastes fresh and delicious.
I use creme fraiche, ensure I chop all the fat off the bacon and use filleted chicken thighs without the skin to reduce the fat content. If you'd prefer, you can use single cream instead of creme fraiche. This time I served it with fresh egg pasta, but you could use regular spaghetti, or we often have it with rice. You can use chicken breasts if preferred.To start, dice an onion and fry in a pan in a small amount of oil - alternatively, use a handful of frozen chopped onion - with diced bacon. I use about three rashers, and chop the fat off. Cook for about 5 minutes then add 500ml of chicken stock and bring to the boil. To the stock, add the chicken thighs and either a good handful of spinach or three frozen spinach balls. Adding the chicken raw to the stock mixture ensures it maintains all its juices and leaves it tender and succulent. Leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, before roughly chopping a good-sized bunch of coriander and adding to the pan. Leave a little aside to garnish when serving. Pop a lid on and leave it to simmer for about 20 minutes on a medium heat. Keep an eye on the chicken and ensure its cooked throughout, flipping the thighs over halfway through. Before serving, add a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche and stir thoroughly. You will be left with a delicious, fragrant broth and super tasty succulent chicken. Serve with rice or pasta and sprinkle with a little more coriander to garnish. My mouth is watering at the thought! Enjoy.