Ingredients

Method

• 200 g Woolworths dry-cured, wood-smoked streaky bacon
• 1 kg free-range chicken thigh portions
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 leeks bunch, thinly sliced
• 2 cups good-quality chicken stock
• Thyme, a few sprigs
• 500 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• Watercress, to garnish

Method

Ingredients

Cut each rasher of bacon into 4 pieces. Place in a cold pan, cover, then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the fat runs and the bacon crisps. Turn and cook the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Brown the chicken pieces in the bacon fat. Remove from the pan and season to taste. Stir the leeks into the fat in the pan and cook gently until soft.

Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the thyme and sweet potato and season. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes, or until all is tender. Remove the chicken and potato from the pan and keep warm.

Reduce the liquid in the pan over a high heat for 1 minute. Check the seasoning. Spoon over the chicken and potatoes. Heat the reserved bacon to recrisp, then scatter over the chicken. Garnish liberally with watercress.