Chicken, Pineapple and Sauerkraut Hotpot

Several readers have asked me about the chicken and sauerkraut dish I mentioned in my IMK post, so I thought I would throw up a quick recipe.  I have no in-progress photos, but nevertheless, here we go.  You can wing it a bit here, using more or less of the pineapple and sauerkraut, as you wish.  Use the herbs you like, and use stock instead of cream if you must.  But really, no, you have to have some cream, so maybe use half stock/half cream, if you feel it necessary.  This is very comforting on a cold winter's night.  So get to it, my friends.  Spring is upon us already!

crispy potatoes on top; ready for cheese, and heading for the oven

Original recipe: Sherry M.

Serves 4-5:

ingredients:

3-4 tbs EV olive oil - two for baking the potato slices, and one or two when cooking the chicken

5-6 large potatoes (about 1 kg./2.2lb), peeled and thinly sliced

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2-3 small red chillies, finely chopped

1 kg./2.2lb chicken thigh fillets, each chopped into three pieces

a big splash or two of white wine - optional

1 tsp chicken stock powder

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

a big handful of fresh herbs, chopped (I used parsley) and 1 dsp dried herbs - I used oregano

1 x 440g./15.5 oz tin of pineapple pieces in natural juice, drained - KEEP THE JUICE

400g./14 oz sauerkraut

400mL/13.5 oz cream

1½-2 cups (190g.-250g.) vintage or tasty cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

First, tip the peeled and sliced potatoes into a large bowl, throw in the olive oil and mix with your hands

Place them in a single layer on a lined baking tray (you will need two trays), season with salt and pepper and bake @220C for 20-25 mins. or till golden and even a wee bit charred at the edges

Take them out and put aside while you cook the chook 🐔

Grab a large frypan, pour in the olive oil, chuck in the onion, and stir till tender

Now in goes the garlic and chillies; stir for a few minutes

Add the chicken pieces, and stir for a few more minutes

Splash in the wine and a fair slug of the pineapple juice - use it all if you like

In go the stock powder, salt and pepper

Let it all simmer away for about ten minutes

Add the chopped and dried herbs, and stir in well for a couple of minutes

Now you can put the whole shebang together: take a large baking dish or casserole dish

Spoon the chicken mixture into the dish

Spread the pineapple pieces and sauerkraut over the chicken

Pour on the cream

Layer the potato slices over the top of the dish, add the cheese, then season with salt and pepper

Bake @ 220C for about 25 minutes till the top is golden and the dish is bubbling

Serve with a green salad if you fancy.  Tell yourself it will counteract the artery-hardening delights of this dish :-)

Notes:

Use your fave herbs and cheese here

Maybe try thinly-sliced sweet potato instead of the regular sort 

photo from an earlier, slightly different version

I used my homemade sauerkraut in the latest version of this dish.

spoon on the sauerkraut

deliciously crispy and golden

This is how it comes out from the oven.  Very tasty!  Very crispy!  Very cheesy!  Very delicious!

Veteran readers have read my stories of the mad chooks attacking us in the outdoor dunny when we were children.  And the roast Christmas chicken that slid off the bench and onto the floor, just as it was about to be served.  And the mad Lithuanian neighbour (our friends' father) who used to lop off their heads (the chooks, I mean) and let the headless bodies run amok as we children ran away screaming.  Oh yes, so many happy chook tales!  But this dish will make you happy - guaranteed.

artwork © Sherry's Pickings