Shelly's Recipe

CHICKEN STEW WITH VEGETABLES

Category: Stews

4 lb roasting chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp butter and vegetable oil
8 medium onions, peeled
1 bay leaf
1 (8 oz) can tomatoes
3 carrots, halved and pared
1/4 lb snow peas

Potato Border
Instant mashed potatoes, enough for 6-8 servings
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp salt
Milk

Wash and pat dry chicken pieces. Combine flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Coat chicken with flour mixture and reserve flour for layer.

Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven. Brown chicken on all sides and remove as they brown. Add onions to pan and cook, covered, about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Return chicken pieces to Dutch oven; add bay leave, 1 1/2 cups water, tomatoes and carrots; stir to combine.

Place a large sheet of waxed paper just under the lid. Pour off any liquid that collects on paper during cooking, to keep if from diluting sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer covered, for 40 minutes or until chicken and vegetables and tender.

Snip off stem ends of snow peas; pull strings and add to stew during the last 5 minutes.

Combine reserved flour with 1/4 cup water, stir into chicken mixture. Remove and discard bay leaf. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Turn into large baking dish.

Potato border: Prepare mashed potatoes as directed using the amount of water specified on the pkg and the butter, salt and mil called for. Spoon mashed potatoes into pastry bag and edge the mixture around the baking dish. Broil 6 inches from heat sour or until potatoes are lightly browned.