I can’t seem to get enough of chicken at the moment. I usually make a version of this recipe as a tray bake – cooking chicken in the oven with masses of cherry tomatoes and adding creme fraiche for the last five minutes or so.

But for this recipe I’ve pan fried the chicken (coated first in well seasoned four), then added garlic, tomatoes, spinach, butter beans and (home made) chicken stock before adding the creme fraiche and cooked pasta for the last few minutes. You can use the main building blocks of this recipe to use whatever vegetables/pulses/pasta you have in stock. I just needed to use up some butter beans.

It’s such an easy recipe and makes for a delicious and comforting dinner.

Serves 1/2 so increase ingredient quantities as necessary.

Ingredients

• 2/3 chicken thighs per person
• Enough plain flour to coat the chicken
• 2 large handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• Handful of spinach, washed
• Handful or so of butter beans
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 200ml chicken stock
• 150ml creme fraiche
• 50g parmesan cheese, grated
• 50g pasta per person (I used wholewheat fusilli)
• Salt and pepper
• A few glugs of olive oil

Method

1. Put a pan of salted water on to boil, then add the pasta.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and coat with the flour.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the chicken for 3-5 minutes, turning once until slightly golden. Remove from the pan.
4. Add the garlic to the pan and cook on a lower heat for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, spinach and chicken stock. Bring to the boil then reduce to a low simmer.
6. Meanwhile check the pasta is cooked (most people like it al dente but I like it a bit soft). Drain, saving a bit of the pasta water.
7. Return the chicken to the pan of vegetables. Add the creme fraiche, cooked pasta, pasta water and heat for about a minute, stirring all the time.
8. Just before serving, add the grated parmesan.