Chicken and bean hotpot

This one-pot family supper saves on washing-up and is perfect for autumn

Published 07 October 2009

Approx cost for 4: £4.90

What do I need?

6 chicken thigh portions
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large or 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium sticks of celery, chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken stock (1 stock cube with boiling water)
1 tbsp red pesto (from a jar)
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
200g (dry weight) small pasta shapes of your choice
Salt and pepper to season

How do I make it?

Trim the chicken of any fat, leaving a little skin on each portion. Heat the oil in a large lidded pan and brown the chicken over a high heat until golden. Set chicken aside on a plate.
Turn heat down to medium and add onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Now add the tomatoes, stock and pesto and stir well. Return the chicken to the pan, bring to a simmer, put the lid on and cook on low for 45 minutes.
Add the beans and pasta, stir and cook for 20 minutes more until pasta is cooked. Check after 10 minutes and add a little boiling water if it looks dry. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve in bowls.

Recipe: Judith Wills, author of Feeding Kids: 120 Foolproof Family Recipes. The Netmums cookery Book (£14.99, Headline). Photography: Jon Osborne. Food styling: Nicole Herft

Print this article >