There are many prepared pesto sauces on the market today and they can be used for much more than a spread on crostini. Here I've used pesto as the base and main flavour-giver to an easily made chicken casserole.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken leg and thigh portions
• 2 tblsp oil
• 165 gram jar Roasted Capsicum Pesto
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 red peppers, cored, deseeded and chopped roughly
• 2 tblsp rosemary leaves
• 12-16 black olives
• 2 tblsp capers

Method

1. Cut the leg and thigh portions in half, and if wished, remove the skin. Season the chicken well with black pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken for 10 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate and pour off any oil.
3. Add the red pepper pesto to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour off any oil released from the pesto at this stage.
4. Add the chicken pieces back to the pan with the red wine, onions, celery, peppers and rosemary. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Alternatively place into a casserole and cook covered at 180°C for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is tender.
5. Before serving toss in the olives and capers and season with freshly ground black pepper if wished.