Pigweed and chicken bredie

 

This was divine, the addition of a dairy product to a  bredie is not traditional at all. But something about this vetetable (when cooked) makes me think of eastern Europe, and somehow the yogurt crept in...

For four:

2 Tbsp olive oil
8 pieces of chicken (not breasts, they dry out when cooked long and slow)
1 cup chopped leeks
1 large lemon's juice (in this case about a 1/4 cup)
2 cups of lightly packed pigweed
2 cups chicken stock 
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup Greek or natural yogurt

In a large pan or casserole, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken briefly. Lower the heat to medium, add the leeks, and cook, stirring now and then for a couple of minutes. Add the lemon juice. Add the amaranth. Pour in the chicken stock. Make a slurry of the flour with a little water, and add this smooth mixture to the pot, stirring evenly. The flour will prevent the yogurt from separating over heat.  Now add the yogurt, stirring to incorporate it. Put a lid on the pot, lower the heat to medium-low, so that it just simmers for an hour-and-a-half, till the chicken is break-apart tender.

For the last half hour you could take the lid off to reduce the sauce a little. Serve with brown rice or barley.

'Course, if you don't have the weed, try spinach, though I would blanch it first and squeeze out the excess moisture. Spinach has a more slippery texture, but the flavour is similar.