Braised Chicken with Mushrooms, Mashed Potatoes

Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan and cook the chicken for 3 mins on each side or until golden brown. Tip: Depending on the size of the pan you are using, you may need to do this in two batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan or your chicken will stew and never go brown! Once all the chicken has browned off, transfer to a plate and prepare the rest of your ingredients. Don’t wash the pan, you’ll use it again later.

Cut the onion in half through the root, peel and then slice into thin half moon shapes. Peel and grate the garlic. Quarter the chestnut mushrooms.

Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan you cooked your chicken in and turn the heat to medium. Cook the sliced onions and chopped mushrooms for 3 mins and then stir in the tomato purée and half the grated garlic. Cook for 2 mins more.

Pour in 400ml of water and stir in the chicken stock pot until it has dissolved. Pop the chicken back into the pan and increase the heat to high. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat to low, pop the lid on and leave to bubble away gently for 20 mins.

Whilst the chicken cooks get the potatoes ready. Peel first, then cut them into quarters and pop them into a pot with cold water and 1/2 tsp of salt. Put the pot on high heat, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 20-25 mins or until tender. They are cooked when you can easily slip a knife through them.

LH: Break the broccoli down into little broccoli trees, AKA florets. Don’t throw away the stalk! Peel it with a peeler or a small knife and then cut into four pieces.

Pick the tarragon leaves, discard the stalks and roughly chop the leaves. Keep for later.

When your chicken has been cooking for 20 mins, remove the lid from the chicken pan, reduce the heat to low and leave it bubbling away for a further 15-20 mins. Tip: The chicken is cooked when the centre is no longer pink.

When your potatoes are ready, drain them in a colander and return them to the pot off the heat. Season with ¼ tsp of salt and a good grind of black pepper. LH: Get the kids to help out with the mashing! Mash your potatoes with a potato masher, 50ml of milk and a knob of butter(if you have some!). Place the lid back on the pan to keep warm.

When your mashed potatoes are ready, pop the broccoli and the chopped stalk into a wide frying pan with 1 tbsp of oil, 2 tbsp of water, a pinch of salt and the remaining grated garlic. Pop a lid on and cook the broccoli over medium-high heat for 5 mins.