Dijon Chicken Stew

So this chicken stew was pretty good. I modified it a bit to account for ingredients that I had lying around.

My version:

Thinly slice 2 large leeks and saute in olive oil with 1 tablespoon mustard seeds. Add 1/2 cup pearl barley and saute briefly. Throw about four cloves of garlic on there for a minute or so, then remove to a bowl.

Dredge about 1 pound chicken thighs and 1/2 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces, in flour and saute over high heat in olive oil until browned. Add about a cup of white wine to deglaze pan and a tablespoon or so of dried thyme. Add 2 tablespoons dijon mustard.

Mix a tablespoon of flour with water or broth and stir to suspend. Add to the pot along with the leeks, barley and garlic. Peel and cut up a rutabaga and add that to the pot. Simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes; add 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped, and simmer for 10 or 15 more minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and about a tablespoon of paprika.

This was good, but the rutabaga stayed a little too firm. The flavor was great. The chicken turned out well, reminding me that the secret to chicken is to saute without water on high heat briefly and then simmer on low heat with water.