One Pot Hearty Chicken & Bottom-of-the-Fridge Veg

Written By Jesseca Lancaster

By Friday, the bottom of my fridge is a slightly tragic place. Half a zucchini here, a limp carrot there, the last sad leek, and always… so many greens. Instead of tossing them in the bin, this is the meal I turn to: a one-pot chicken & bottom-of-the-fridge veg wonder that’s easy, forgiving, and deeply flavourful after a few hours on the stove.

This dish doesn’t ask for precision. It asks for whatever needs using up. It's my way of clearing the crisper, feeding the family something hearty and nourishing, and giving those veggies a second chance at life—ideally soaking up the sauce next to a scoop of buttery mash or ladled over a bowl of fresh pasta.

Ingredients (serves 4 adults & 2 kids - with possibly some leftovers)

  • 8-10 boneless pasture raised chicken thighs

  • 2 cans organic tinned tomatoes

  • 1-2 cups of water (start with 1 and add as you need)

  • 1 onion diced

  • 4 large cloves of garlic whole

  • Whatever veg you like, I used:

    • 2 carrots chunky cut

    • 1 zucchini chunky cut

    • 1 capsicum diced

    • 1 eggplant diced

    • Handful of mixed mushrooms sliced

  • Handful of green olives

  • Sprig of thyme & rosemary

Method

  1. Add a big glug of extra virgin olive oil to the bottom of a cast iron pot

  2. Sauté off the onion until translucent

  3. Add chicken thighs, herbs & garlic and brown slightly

  4. Add in all of your veg, tinned tomatoes, water and olives and mix well - you want the water to just be covering everything

  5. Pop the lid on and simmer on low for 3ish hours (if you’re going out half the day this is a dish that you can leave simmering longer!)

  6. Serve over pasta or mash with a proper grating of Grand Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano

Notes

  • Add a good glug of olive oil, some thyme and lots of garlic to build out the flavour.

  • Let it simmer as long as your day allows. It only gets better with time

  • Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat with a splash of bone broth or water—it’s even tastier the next day.

So next Friday, before you toss that wrinkled capsicum or forget about the lonely spinach, throw it all into a pot with chicken thighs and call it dinner. The chicken turns meltingly tender, the veggies soften into the broth, and the house smells like you've done something far more impressive than just clean out your fridge

Jesseca Lancaster
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