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1 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 1/2 tsp marjoram leaves
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4 skin-on chicken legs, with thighs attached
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
4 Italian or other spicy fresh sausages, abut 750 g
4 carrots
1 large onion
2 bell peppers, preferably yellow or green
3 jalapenos, seeded
12 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
796-mL can plum tomatoes, including juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or cilantro
In a small bowl, stir oregano with marjoram, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, cumin and cayenne. Place chicken in a large bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over chicken. Refrigerate until needed. Slice sausages into 1/2-inch (1-cm) rounds. Cut carrots into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces. Thinly slice onion. Slice yellow or green peppers into 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces. Dice jalapeños. Peel garlic and mince. Place vegetables in a large bowl and stir to mix.
Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Heat 1 teaspoon (5 mL) oil in a large wide saucepan set over medium heat. Add sausages and stir often until lightly browned, from 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausages and drain on paper towels. Add half of chicken pieces to fat in saucepan. Cook until browned on both sides, from 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a large roasting pan or 2 large shallow casserole dishes. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Discard oil from saucepan. Add carrots, onion, all peppers and garlic to pan. Increase heat to medium-high. Stirring constantly, pour in juice from canned tomatoes and scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan. Add tomatoes, breaking them up. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables just start to soften, from 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in sausages. Pour over chicken in roasting pan.
Cover chicken with foil or a tight-fitting lid. Bake in centre of 400F (200C) oven, basting halfway through with pan juices, until chicken feels springy when pressed and sauce is bubbly, about 1 hour. If making ahead, cool casserole, then cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until chicken is warmed through, stirring every 15 minutes, from 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Calories 606, Protein 42.5g, Carbohydrates 14.6g, Fat 41.5g, Fibre 3.1g.
This crowd-pleasing make-ahead dish is adapted from Rose Murray's new cookbook, A Year in My Kitchen (Prentice Hall). This superb book is a compilation of her favourite recipes, developed over 25 years as one of Canada's premiere food writers.