Smoky chicken, bean & kale stew

Heat the oil in a large casserole pan. Tip in the chicken and cook for a few minutes each side until golden brown – do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Put the pancetta in the pan and cook for 5 mins until starting to crisp. Push to one side and add the onion, cooking until softened, about 8 mins. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 1 min.

Add the paprika, bay, vinegar, tomatoes and sugar, then crumble in the stock cube. Add two cans full of water (800ml), season well and return the chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30 mins – bubbles should only break the surface now and then.

Uncover the pan and cook for another 30 mins until the stew has reduced to a rich broth. The tomatoes should have broken down by now, but if they’re still quite chunky, squash them with the back of a wooden spoon. Use two forks to pull apart the larger chunks of chicken.

Stir the beans and kale into the stew, cover with a lid and cook for 5 mins to wilt the kale and heat the beans through. Serve in deep bowls with chunks of garlic bread and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, if you like. To freeze the stew, leave to cool completely, then transfer to a freezerproof container. Will keep for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly, then reheat until piping hot.