Cooking with beans: an easy recipe for rich chicken and bean hotpot

Beans are a nutritious part of any diet and cooking with beans has never been easier. Check out this recipe for a rich chicken and bean hotpot that will satisfy your entire family.

• Preparation: 10 minutes.
• Cooking: 1 hour.
• Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 25 g (1 2/3 tbsp) olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 sliced onions
• 1 chopped celery stalk
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• 240 ml (1 c) hot chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 g (1 tsp) dried rosemary
• 5 peeled chopped tomatoes
• 60 g (1/4 c) tomato paste
• 240 g (1 c) canned romano beans
• 30 g (2 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Heat 10 grams (two teaspoons) olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish and add four boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cook for five minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides.
2. Remove from the dish and keep warm. Add 30 grams (one tablespoon) olive oil to the dish with two sliced onions and one chopped celery stalk. Cook over a medium-low heat for five minutes, or until softened.
3. Stir in chopped garlic, hot chicken stock, bay leaf, dried rosemary, peeled chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse romano beans and add them to the casserole dish with the browned chicken fillets.
5. Simmer for another 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Every serving contains:

• 311 calories
• 8 g fat
• 1 g saturated fat
• 24 g carbohydrates
• 37 g protein
• 7 g fibre

In all its forms, from tender garden-fresh green beans to robust dried kidney beans, the humble bean soaks up flavours while contributing a generous helping of fibre for digestive health and enriching the blood with iron.

• Beans fill you up but are low in fat, and as most beans contain at least 20 percent protein, they are an excellent alternative to meat for vegetarians.

• Sides of crusty bread and a green salad add extra dimensions of flavour and texture.
• Romano beans are a type of cranberry bean. You can use pinto beans but the flavour will be slightly different.
• The best way to peel tomatoes is to remove any stems, make a cross with a sharp knife on the bottom and submerge the tomatoes in boiling water for one to two minutes or until the skins start to split. Drain and peel the skins off

Give this delicious recipe a try and you can add more healthy beans to your diet in no time.