Chicken Stew

We're craving stews in our house, what can I say? It's wet and windy and after the school run we're all looking forward to sitting down together and tucking in to this simple yet very tasty chicken stew.
Serving: 6

• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• Two carrots, finely chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
• 500g baby potatoes, halved
• 300g mushrooms, halved
• 450ml chicken stock
• 500g chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
• Olive oil, for frying
• 25g butter
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• Fresh thyme
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Chives, finely cut

1. Season the chicken and fry in a high sided pan in some olive oil over a high heat until brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the butter to the same pan and fry off the onion, carrots and celery until soft.
3. Turn down the heat to low and add the flour and stock, mixing well. Turn the heat back up to a steady simmer and let the sauce thicken.
4. When the sauce has thickened, add the chicken, potatoes and mushrooms to the pot. If needed, add water to cover the chicken and potatoes.
5. Bring the pot to a boil, cover with a lid and cook until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
6. When ready to serve, sprinkle with chives and enjoy!