Cheesy Chicken, Parsnip & Potato Bake

This recipe was inspired by using up the vegetables left from my Riverford veg box - leeks, parsnips and potatoes. It is comforting, hearty and really tasty. It's also not as unhealthy as it might look! You could easily make this Vegetarian by leaving out the chicken.

DIFFICULTY: 2/5

Serves 4-6

• 1 Medium sized Whole Chicken, roasted (use ½ to ¾ of the cooked meat)
• 10 Small-Medium sized Potatoes
• 2 Parsnips 
• 2 Leeks 
• 2 Cloves Garlic 
• 3-4 Sprigs of Thyme 
• 200g Half Fat Creme Fraiche 
• 400ml Chicken or Vegetable Stock 
• 1 Small Wineglass White Wine 
• 1tsp Wholegrain Mustard
• Juice Half a Lemon 
• Grated Nutmeg 
• 50g fresh, grated Parmesan 
• Salt & Pepper to Season 

30minutes to prepare (2hours if roasting the chicken the same day) and 45minutes to cook at 180 degrees in a fan oven (200degrees if not)

1. This is a great dish for using up leftover roast chicken but if you are roasting the chicken especially for this, then oil the skin and season with salt and pepper before popping in the oven for the correct time (depending on the weight of the chicken). When cooking a roast chicken, I like to stuff the cavity with a whole lemon cut in half and a handful of fresh mixed herbs but you don’t have to. Once cooked, allow the chicken to cool then cut away the meat, leaving a mixture of both breast and thigh/leg meat for the bake. There should be a ¼ to a ½ of meat left to refrigerate for another dish. 
2. Using a food processor on the slicing mechanism, push the washed but unpeeled potatoes through until sliced then put aside in a bowl.
3. Peel the parsnips, chop into chunks then push through in the same way as the potatoes and put aside.
4. Heat a frying pan with the butter, slice the leeks and add these to the pan. When the leeks have softened, finely chop the garlic and add this to the pan, stirring everything together.
5. Gently pull the leaves off the stalks of thyme and add to the pan.
6. Add the white wine and allow this to cook away before adding the chicken stock, wholegrain mustard, lemon juice and seasoning. 
7. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche, half of the grated parmesan and the nutmeg - just grate over enough so you can just taste it in the sauce.
8. If the sauce feels like it needs thickening at this point (it shouldn’t be too thick but it also shouldn’t be watery) then add a little cornflour by spooning some sauce into a ramekin or bowl with the cornflour and stirring together before adding. Pop the pan back on the heat for a few minutes and add more seasoning if needed.
9. Next take a large pie dish or deep oven tray and begin filling with a mixed layer of potatoes and parsnips together, followed by some roast chicken and repeat until full. When you get to the top of the dish, pour over the sauce, making sure all of the layers are covered, and finally add the remaining grated parmesan and a little black pepper.
10. Bake in the oven for 45minutes until crisp and golden and serve with some vegetables or a green salad - watercress compliments the dish particularly well.