JOGGER’S CHICKEN STEW

I like to cook and eat well, but I like to pack a lot of other activities into my day too. I love those recipes that allow me to go off and do other things while dinner is cooking. This stew is one of those recipes. I take 30 minutes (tops!) to get it in the oven. Then I put on my running gear and head out jogging for an hour. When I get home, I check on the stew and stir in the last two ingredients for the final 30 minutes of cooking – which gives me just enough time to shower and set the table. It really is a dinner that cooks itself.

SERVES 4

PREP TIME: 5 MIN

COOK TIME: 2 HR (INCLUDES THE JOG!)

olive oil

4 large baking potatoes, washed, dried and pricked all over with a fork

salt and pepper

100g chorizo, sliced into 1cm rounds

2 onions, finely sliced

12 cloves of garlic, peeled

4 tbsp flour

1 tbsp paprika

4 skinless chicken breast fillets

250ml chicken stock

250ml white wine

a sprig of rosemary (or a bouquet garni)

400g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed (mixed beans also work well)

500ml passata

PROTEIN 74G

FAT (SATURATED) 21G (3.6G)

CARB 117G

FIBRE 14.4G

CAL 990

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Rub a teaspoon of olive oil into the potatoes. Season the potatoes, wrap each one loosely in foil and set aside.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large lidded casserole over a medium heat. Add the chorizo, onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, mix the flour and paprika and spread them on a plate. Roll the chicken fillets on the plate to coat them with flour. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the chicken fillets (in one batch) for 3 minutes on each side and set aside.

Pour the stock and wine into the casserole with the chorizo. Stir well. Add the chicken and rosemary and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and cover the casserole with a lid. Place the casserole on a large baking tray along with the foil-covered potatoes. Lift the tray into the oven and cook for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, put on your runners and go for a jog!

After 1 hour, remove the casserole from the oven. Stir in the beans and passata. Return the casserole to the oven for 30 minutes. Ladle the stew into warmed serving bowls. Serve with the baked potatoes.