Hearty Italian Style Chicken Stew

Add a can or two of cannellini beans if your diet allows. Serve with over rice, with polenta or garlic bread.

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium to large onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 large clove or two medium sized cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained (with basil if available)
3 1/2 cups (28 ounces) chicken broth
1 tsp fresh rosemary minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
¾ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 chicken breast with ribs, and 2 chicken thigh/leg quarters
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley (optional)

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion and sauté for about four minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for anther minute.

Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper to taste (we like our stew well-seasoned, so I use about a teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper). Stir to combine, and add the chicken.

Bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is cooked through, about 25-35 minutes. While cooking, turn the chicken over and stir occasionally.

Remove the chicken from the pot. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove it from the bones and shred or chop. Meanwhile, if the liquid is still soupy, simmer until it is reduced to the consistency of a stew, about 5-10 minutes. Add the chicken back into the pot and turn off the heat. Ladle the stew into serving bowls, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Tip - Make sure to remove the bay leaf! It is a choke hazard!