This was a dish that brings back memories from my mother’s kitchen growing up.
Chicken Jharkovia (Russian Stew)
1 fryer or roasting chicken cut up into pieces
Vegetables cut into large chunks
1 onion or 2 leeks
2 potatoes
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1 bell pepper
2 zucchini
2 parsnips, or turnips or both
flour to dredge chicken in
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup of water if more liquid is needed.
Have all your vegetables washed, peeled, cut and set aside. Prepare the chicken: roll in flour seasoned with salt and pepper (start with 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper). Shake off excess flour and add to heavy dutch oven with 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp oil heated. Brown all chicken pieces well. Remove browned chicken from pan and add all the vegetables except zucchini and parsnips. Brown well in the drippings. Add chicken to the vegetables and add 4- cups of broth. Cover and let simmer on top of stove or in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. At this point taste and see if you need to add salt and pepper. Add the zucchini, parsnips and extra cup of hot water if needed. Cover again and cook for another half hour or until vegetables and chicken are cooked through.
Serve with good bread.