When I was younger, chickens were mostly a bit on the tough side and as a result they were served more often boiled or poached and in an accompanying sauce. My mum always cooked her chicken in a simple flavoured stock, which was later turned into a white sauce with the addition of corn and occasionally bacon, or made into a curry, using good old Keen's curry powder - either way we loved it.

Ingredients

• 1.5-1.6 kilogram whole chicken
• 1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf or bouquet garni
• 1 cup water
• sauce
• 75 grams butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 400 gram can corn kernels, well drained
• ½ cup cream, optional
• ¼ cup chopped parsley, optional

Method

1. Turn the slow cooker on to low to pre-warm while gathering and preparing the ingredients.
2. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Place the chicken into the pre-warmed slow cooker and scatter int he carrot and onion and add the bay leaf or bouquet garni. Pour in the water and cover with the lid.
3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is tender. Carfully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on a warm plate and cover. The chicken can be served at this stage with your favourite sauce or chilled with salad or in sandwiches.
4. Heat the butter in a large saucepan and, when hot, stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is frothy. Ladle in the chicken stock and vegetables from the slow cooker and cook, stirring until the sauce is thick.
5. Stir in the corn, cream and parsley if using. Tear the meat from the chicken in chunky pieces and fold into the sauce. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Cooks Tips

Variations: - Use 6 chicken leg and thigh portions in place of the whole chicken. - Ham and chicken: Add 1 diced ham steak with corn. - Chicken 'n' potato pie: Pile the chicken and sauce into a deep pie or lasagne-style dish and top with mashed potato. Bake at 180ºC until the pie is hot and golden. - Bacon and corn: Pan-fry 4-5 rashers bacon until crispy and stir in with the corn. Use cream-style corn if wished. - Curry: Add extra 25 grams butter to the sauce and add 2 tablespoons of your favourite curry powder with the flour. Omit the corn. - Cheese mornay: Beat 2 egg yolks into the cream before stirring into the dish, with 1 cup grated Cheddar-style cheese.