I started this blog just over a year ago, on 1st May 2011 to be precise and, although I have not reached my target of 20 blog posts every month (five days a week put paid to that in January), I am just shy of 190 which isn’t exactly shabby. Bloody hard work but I still love it and, in celebration of the WTF motto of making things as simple, fast and yummy as possible, here is a deliciously straightforward chicken and chorizo stew.

Inspired by the chicken and feta that graces my summer every year, and by my friend C telling me that it is a big hit in their house, I wanted to find something else that was just as summery though, in the light of this filthy weather, a tad more warming. And since my fridge defrost had left me with two ingredients that needed using up (chicken thighs and cooking chorizo) I went online and discovered myriad recipes for a chicken, chorizo, tomato and chickpea/bean stew that at first looked a bit of a faff and then, after some sifting looked like just my sort of thing: cook ingredients, shove them in a pan, leave them to cook a bit longer together then eat. The hardest part about this is choosing what to have with it: I’d suggest a salad or some roasted vegetables if you’re feeling light and some rice or bulgur pilaf (recipe to follow this week) if you need stoking up. I went for the stoking; it was that or turn the heating on…AGAIN!

Chicken, chorizo and bean stew (discovered, and adapted from here)

For two-three portions you will need:

Cupboard (or things you may already have)
olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
garlic, 4 cloves
chopped tomatoes, 1 tin
bay leaf
tomato purée, 2 heaped tsp

Shopping list
red onions, 1½
fresh thyme, a good pinch of leaves or a couple or three sprigs
dried oregano, 1 tsp
fresh chilli, finely chopped (or 1 dried)
smoked paprika, 1 tsp
1 tsp cayenne pepper (I didn’t have any so added another dried chilli)
cooking chorizo, 125g
white wine or dry sherry/manzanilla, small glass
chicken thighs, 4
cannellini beans, 1 tin (or use butter beans or chickpeas)
sundried tomato purée, 2 heaped tsps (or, if you can’t get this, just add more of the usual tomato purée)

How to
1. In a large, deep saucepan or casserole, over a medium heat, brown the chicken thighs in a little olive oil.
2. While the chicken thighs are browning, peel, top and tail and finely chop the onion and slice the garlic (keep them in separate piles for now). Snip the chorizo sausages (I find scissors are best for doing this, hence the verb) into small chunks (about 4-5 per sausage is about the right size if they are finger-length ones) and snip up the chillies too.
3. Once the meat is browned, remove the chicken from the pan then add the chopped onions.
4. Fry the onions for a few minutes then add the thyme and oregano and continue to cook until the onions are just colouring.
5. Add the smoked paprika, chilli(es), cayenne and bay leaf, stir to mix and leave to cook together for another minute or two.
6. Add the snipped chorizo and sliced garlic and, again, stir together and leave to cook for another minute or two.
7. Pour in the wine or dry sherry/manzanilla, let it bubble for a minute or two then tip in the chopped tomatoes and the chicken thighs.
8. Finally, drain the beans (if tinned or of their cooking water if you have diligently cooked them yourself), add the tomato purées and give everything a good stir.
9. Season with a little salt and pepper and leave to simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes until the sauce is good and thick.