Slow cooker chicken casserole recipe

Cooked in a rich tomato sauce with sweet paprika and smoky chorizo, this easy slow cooker chicken casserole recipe is a perfect dish to feed the family. It’s cooked with butter beans, so all you need to serve it with is a little crusty bread for dunking. See method

Serves 4
15 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 15 mins to cook
688 calories / serving
Freezable

Ingredients
600g skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
225g pack Spanish chorizo ring, sliced into rounds
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
pinch saffron (optional)
2 chicken stock cubes, made up to 600ml
70g tomato purée
250g baby plum tomatoes
3 celery sticks, cut into 3cm pieces
2 x 400g tins butterbeans, rinsed and drained
large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method
Set your slow cooker to medium. Coat the chicken in 1 tbsp olive oil and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and then set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and add the chorizo, cook for 3-4 mins. Turn the heat down to medium, add the onions and cook for a further 3-4 mins or until soft. Add the garlic and flour, cook for 1 min, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Put the saffron (if using) in a small glass and pour over 2 tbsp boiling water to infuse.
Heat the same frying pan used to cook the chorizo and onions on a medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and brown on each side for 1 min or until golden.
Add the chicken, chorizo and onions to the slow cooker. Pour over the stock and tomato puree. Add the baby plum tomatoes, celery and saffron-infused water (if using). Stir well to combine, cover with the lid and cook for 2.5-3 hrs or until the chicken is very tender.
Add the butter beans, cover and cook for 15 mins. Divide the casserole into bowls and top with chopped parsley. Serve with grains such as couscous or quinoa, or crusty bread to dip.
Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Once the casserole has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, freeze for up to 1-3 months. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating on a low heat in a saucepan until hot and bubbling, around 15-20 mins.