Dutch Oven Potatoes and Chicken with Broccoli

I borrowed the idea for this recipe from 5 Year Taste of Dutch: IDOS Convention Recipes, 2000 to 2004. Lou and Senia Winrich presented a dish called Top Hat Chicken Casserole at an International Dutch Oven Convention during the past five years.

In the original recipe, cooked chicken breasts were placed over a bed of lightly browned onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms and potatoes. With no desire to eat celery and no mushrooms in the larder, re-wrote the Dutch oven one-pot casserole to include two ingredients in the refrigerator—chicken drumsticks and thighs and fresh broccoli.

DUTCH OVEN POTATOES AND CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI

Resist the temptation to use too much moisture in the Dutch oven. The heavy cast iron lid creates a fairly tight seal. As a result, very little moisture escapes during cooking.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
10 pieces chicken, thighs and drumsticks
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium onion, sliced
5 medium potatoes, cut into eighths
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 small bunches broccoli, cut into florets

Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat. Combine flour, salt, black pepper thyme and paprika. Dredge each piece of chicken until coated with seasoned flour. Set on plate. Place the thighs, skin side down, in hot oil. Brown chicken and turn to brown other side. Remove thighs to a plate. Repeat process with drumsticks.

Heat a 12-inch Dutch oven medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and heat. Add onion, potatoes, garlic and carrots to oven. Sauté vegetables until lightly browning, stirring continually. Combine broth thyme and Worcestershire sauce in a measuring cup. Pour over potatoes and stir. Sprinkle parsley over potatoes. Spread broccoli in a layer over potatoes. Place chicken in a single layer over broccoli.

Place lid on Dutch oven. Set 8 charcoal briquettes underneath oven and 17 on lid for 350 degrees. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until potatoes are soft and chicken is cook through. Serve 2 pieces of chicken and a hearty portion of potatoes for each person.