Chicken Roasted in Applesauce

When "Baby its cold outside" and you only want to "...listen to the fireplace roar" stick this in the oven and let it cook itself.  Nothing like easy comfort food in the dead of winter.
6 chicken thighs
1 24-oz jar chunky apple sauce (I love Trader Joe's)
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 leek, cleaned and diced
8-10 cloves garlic, sliced

Preheat oven to 375F.  Sauté the carrot and leak for about 10 minutes, until beginning to soften and caramelize a bit.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Oil a 9x13-inch casserole and pour in the applesauce.  Top with the veggies.  Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Bake chicken for about 30 minutes, until fully cooked through.  Thighs when cooked will release clear liquid when pokes slightly with the tip of a knife, and will measure 165F with an instant-read thermometer.

Serves 4.

Cook's note:  This may seem like a lot of garlic, but it really is not too strong.  It cooks down  in the liquid of the sauce, very much toning down the flavor.