Chicken and Leek Gratin

This is the kind of food I want to eat when I'm tired and cranky. Sit me on the sofa, put the TV on, tune it into the Food Channel, give me a bowl of this, then walk away, It's good advice.

Chicken and Leek Gratin
adapted from here
Serves 6


For the Topping:
1/2 loaf of good bread (I used sourdough), cut into large dice
4 cloves garlic
2 handfuls parsley leaves
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped rosemary leaves
60g unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup coarsely grated parmesan

For the Chicken:
45g unsalted butter
4 leeks, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt and
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup cream

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Make the Topping:
Throw all the topping ingredients into a food processor and blitz until it's a course crumb. Set aside.

Make the Chicken:
Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until softened, but not brown. Remove from the heat and add the cream. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

Spread the leeks over the base of an oven-proof baking dish. Lay the chicken over the top of the leeks. Cover with the topping mixture and bake for about 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked and the top is golden and crunchy.