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  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 celery
    stick
  • 1 leek
    finely sliced
  • 300ml strong chicken stock
  • 250g sweetcorn
    (use fresh or frozen), half of it crushed lightly with a fork
  • 200g greens
    (such as spinach or kale), finely sliced
  • small bunch chives
    finely snipped

For the chicken base

Nutrition: Per serving

  • kcal303
    low
  • fat15g
  • saturates6g
  • carbs15g
  • sugars6g
  • fibre4g
  • protein26g
  • salt0.6g

Method

  • step 1

    For the base, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for a few mins, stirring all the time. Now, using a whisk or spatula, carefully stir in the milk, a little at a time, making sure the sauce stays smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a couple of mins until it thickens – it will be very thick. Turn the heat right down and keep cooking for 5 mins, stirring often.

  • step 2

    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry all of the chicken in batches until it starts to colour lightly at the edges. Scoop out each batch of chicken and put it on a plate. Add the onion to the pan if you are using it, and cook over a low heat until soft. Add the chicken and any juices and the onion to the white sauce, fold it in and cook the mixture for a further 15 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. If you're making the base ahead of time, you can leave it to cool at this stage then freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. (Defrost fully before using in the next step.)

  • step 3

    Heat oil in a pan, add the celery and leek, then fry them gently until completely soft. Stir in the chicken base and stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.

  • step 4

    Add the sweetcorn and cook for 5 mins, then stir in the greens and cook for 1 min. Sprinkle over the chives and serve.

RECIPE TIPS
USE THE CHICKEN BASE

You can also use the chicken base for this recipe to make our chicken & leek pasta bake, or our chicken & broccoli potato-topped pie.

MORE BATCH COOKING IDEAS

See more batch cooking recipes to save time and stress when preparing family meals.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2017

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A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.19 ratings
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