Braised Chicken and Beans

I am now officially on holiday! Yesterday I went to the Hayward Gallery to see the exhibition Walking in the Mind, and today I am off to Kenwood House. I have also been trying to get tickets for the theatre but both the plays I want to see, Waiting for Godot and Jerusalem are sold out, so instead I have been scrapbooking in the evenings.

I have collected a whole load of magazine cuttings and cards over the years and they have just sat in a box in my parents house, so now I have bought an A3 bound book and I am creating a book not just of pictures but of memories as well, as many of the cards were bought both by me, for me and sent to me whilst I was at University. It really has been a trip down memory lane.

I seem also to have spent a large amount of time cleaning, not very exciting but the flat needs it! I am going to my parents house on Thursday so I am not buying any food at all this week, just using what I already have in. This is one of those simple meals using chicken from the freezer and beans from the cupboard and it was mighty tasty. I was worried about it becoming too watery so I did simmer it uncovered for 30 mins to evaporate some of the liquid off. I also snuck some courgettes in there which really added to the flavour. The courgettes will keep reappearing throughout the week, I think I've eaten in different ways in almost every evening meal and there are more still growing!



Braised Chicken and Beans (from Good Food Magazine March 2008)
(Serves 2)

1 tbsp olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
300ml white wine
400g can flageolet beans , rinsed and drained
handful parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a wide pan with a lid, add the chicken, then quickly cook to brown it all over.

Tip in the onion, garlic and thyme, then fry for a further 2 mins. Pour in the wine, 150ml water and a little salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins, covering halfway through the cooking time, until the chicken is tender.

Stir the beans into the pan and briefly warm through. Roughly chop the parsley, then scatter over to serve.