Chicken in a Pot

This old fashioned, wholesome recipe is not only easy (just throw everything into a pot!), but it's equally at home during an ordinary family meal or when you have company. At my house, it always gets raves. What You Need: 10 black peppercorns 4 whole allspice 4 fresh thyme sprigs 2 bay leaves 10 small red potatoes (about 1 lb.) 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 5 carrots cut into about 1 inch long pieces 2 onions, peeled and quartered 3 (16 oz.) cans of chicken of beef broth or stock a pinch of salt 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1/2 cup milk fresh chives, minced or diced Cheesecloth (optional) Large pot

How to Do It: 1. The "proper" way to begin is to make what's called a bouquet garni: Cut a piece of cheesecloth into about an 8 inch square, place the first 4 ingredients in the center, bring up the corners, tie with a strip of cheesecloth, and throw in the pot. However, if I don't have cheesecloth handy, I just toss in the first 4 ingredients loose. 2. Toss in the potatoes, chicken, carrots, and onions. Add the stock or broth; the original recipe called for chicken broth, but I prefer the richer flavor of beef stock. Both work fine - or try a mixture of the two. The ingredients should now be well covered; if not, add a little water or white wine. (Wine added at this stage will have all the alcohol cooked out of it by the time you're done.) 3. Place the pot on medium-high heat and bring the contents to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. If the liquid boils away too rapidly, leaving the chicken exposed, add a little extra liquid. 5. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon. Place in a bowl and cover with a plate to keep warm. Discard the bouquet garni (if you made one). 6. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour; reduce heat and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup broth mixture (strain it if you didn't use a bouquet garni). Whisk in milk and cook until thick, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. 7. Chop up chicken (or tear apart using two forks). Arrange veggies on a platter and top with chicken. Spoon sauce over the top and sprinkle with chives. Serves 4. You'll also have about 4 cups of broth left over. Strain it if you didn't use a bouquet garni and freeze for up to 3 months.