Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 (about 1kg) chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
• 200g speck, cut into batons (see Notes)
• 12 pickling onions, peeled, trimmed
• 1 carrot, peeled, thickly sliced diagonally
• 2 celery sticks, trimmed, thickly sliced diagonally
• 200g button mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup (60ml) brandy
• 40g butter
• 1/4 cup (40g) plain flour
• 1 cup (250ml) dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) Massel chicken style liquid stock
• 3 sprigs thyme sprigs
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 (about 800g) pontiac potatoes, very thinly sliced
• 50g butter, melted, extra

Method

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 160C. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add one-quarter of the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 5 minutes or until brown all over. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat in 3 more batches with remaining chicken.
• Step 2 Add the speck to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, or 2 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to the bowl. Add the onions, carrot, celery and mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until lightly brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the brandy and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until brandy reduces by half. Return the chicken and speck to the pan with the butter and flour and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until well combined. Add the wine, chicken stock, thyme and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Bake in preheated oven, covered, for 1 hour or until chicken is tender and sauce thickens slightly.
• Step 3 Increase oven to 200C. Combine the potato and extra butter in a large bowl. Season well with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Arrange potato slices evenly over the chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until potato is tender and golden brown.