Bacon works just as well as pancetta in this recipe, as does Parma ham.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chicken jointed into 8 pieces (ask your butcher to do this for you)
• 200g pancetta or streaky bacon
• 4 red onions, cut into wedges
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves finely chopped
• 1 sprig of rosemary, whole
• 250ml/9fl oz wine, I like red but you can use white too
• 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock
• 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes
• 2 x 400g tins butter beans in water, drained
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to season

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170ºC / 350ºF.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken in batches golden and crisp. Remove from the tin and set aside, add the pancetta to the pan and fry until it’s just beginning to brown, add the onion, garlic and finely chopped rosemary. Cook for a few minutes, stirring and then pour in the wine and the stock.
3. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the onion wedges start to soften and the liquid has reduced by half.
4. Next add the tomatoes, beans, sugar, bay leaf, whole rosemary sprig and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and bring back to a simmer. Transfer the mixture to a roasting tin and sit the chicken on top.
5. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked and crisp, the sauce is bubbling and the onions are soft.

Recipe by Judy Kavanagh, food writer and mum of 2.

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