The Dish | Chicken Stew with Leeks and Pancetta

There’s nothing better than warm and comforting food when the weather is stormy and cold. This is a great dish to make ahead and bring to Tahoe.

Ingredients:

• 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3-4 Tbs olive oil
• 1 cup pancetta, diced
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch discs
• 4 leeks, sliced
• 1/2 c white wine
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1Tsp butter
• 1Tbs flour
• 1/4 cup parsley chopped for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large dutch oven with the olive oil.

Brown chicken in batches and remove to plate. If you need more olive oil, add a tablespoon at a time. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and brown the pancetta. Remove from pan and add to plate with chicken.

Reduce heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Saute onion, celery, chopped carrots and leeks and cook for two minutes, then add garlic. Add wine and cook getting all brown bits from pan. Add the chicken, the pancetta, and the stock.

Bring to a simmer then cover tightly with foil and put top on pot. Place in oven and cook low and slow for about two hours. Checking to make sure liquid doesn’t get too low; if it does, add more stock.

After two hours take out of oven and place on stove over medium to low heat.

Add the half-and-half and cook for five minutes. Mix 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of flour and make a thick paste; add to soup and cook another 10 minutes, stirring.

Garnish with parsley and serve.