Tana Ramsay's lemon chicken stew recipe

Once the chopping's done, it's ready in an hour. Great for a informal, stress-free Saturday lunch to serve with brown rice and crunchy salad.

Ingredients

• 3tbsp olive oil
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 4 chicken thighs
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced to same size as the onion
• 2 sticks of celery, diced to same size as the onion
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 400ml/14fl oz chicken stock
• 1 red chilli, left whole
• 2 bay leaves
• 400g tin of cannellini beans, drained through a sieve and then rinsed
• 20g pack each of fresh flat-leaf parsley and coriander, leaves roughly chopped
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Warm the oil in a large enamel casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid on a medium heat and gently brown the chicken pieces on all sides, skin side first. When they are a rich golden colour, remove and put to one side.
2. Add the onion, carrots and celery and fry in the oil until just beginning to soften. Add the garlic and stir for a further minute, then return the chicken pieces to the casserole.
3. Pour in the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Pop the whole chilli and bay leaves into the casserole and, using a spoon, push them under the surface of the liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Put on the lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 mins. Stir in the cannellini beans, replace the lid and cook for a further 20 mins.
4. When the cooking time is up, stir in the chopped parsley and coriander, the lemon zest and lemon juice. Serve immediately in warm flat bowls.