Country chicken

This is a variation on a childhood favourite, I don't know where it came from, although I have had similar versions in Spain, France and Italy. 

It is so versatile, you can stir it through pasta, or perhaps have it with crusty buttered bread or creamy mashed potato. However my favourite is simply with brown rice or green vegetables for a healthy dinner. 

I use the leftover chicken from a Sunday lunch, I love the way cooked chicken pulls in to long pieces and it gives the dish a much more rustic feel than cubes of chicken, but you can use either really. 

Ingredients (4 people)

Either leftover Sunday roast chicken pulled in to prices, or equivalent of 2 large chicken breasts, diced. 

1 red onion and 1 red pepper sliced. 6 chestnut mushrooms quartered, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1 chicken stock cube, 1/4 teaspoon each of ground cloves and chilli flakes, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon olive oil. 

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and if using raw chicken gently cook until browned (if using pre-roasted chicken simply heat through). Add the vegetables and gently soften for 10 minutes. Next add the spices and garlic and cook for a further minute, then tip in the tomatoes plus 1/2 tin of additional water. 

Next add the stock cube and gently simmer for 10 minutes until everything is soft and the sauce has thickened and is umptuous!