French-style roast chicken – Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 500g chat potatoes, halved
• 1 bunch of baby carrots
• 3 celery stalks, thickly sliced
• 1.8kg whole chicken
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra to serve
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 40g butter
• 1 leek, trimmed, halved, thickly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 100g green beans, trimmed, halved
• 400g can butter beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1/2 cup light thickened cooking cream
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve. 

Lets get started.

Place carrots, potato and celery in the slow cooker.

Rinse chicken under cold water. Place on a board. Pat dry with paper towel. Place 1/2 the thyme in cavity of chicken. Tie legs together with string to secure. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook leek, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until starting to soften. Add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to slow cooker. Add chicken to pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until browned all over. Transfer chicken to slow cooker.

Add remaining thyme, bay leaf and stock to slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Cover. Cook on high for 3 hours (or low for 6 hours). Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Add green beans and butter beans. Stir to combine. Cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a board. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a serving plate.

Blend cornflour with 1 tablespoon water. Add cream and cornflour mixture to slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cook on high for 10 minutes to thicken. Stir in parsley.

Meanwhile, cut chicken into portions. Place on serving plate with vegetables. Drizzle chicken and vegetables with cream sauce and sprinkle with extra thyme and parsley. Serve.