Chicken and Bean Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts with ribs (about 700 g total)
• 1 can (425g) organic red kidney beans (drain and rinse if not organic)
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into small pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 can (410 g) chopped tomatoes
• 1 can (400 g) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• Country bread, for serving

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a 5.5-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, and onion. Sauté the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts and press down to submerge them.
2. Bring the liquid in the pan to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning the breasts occasionally and stirring the mixture, about 25 minutes.
   
   Using tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a work surface and let cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans to the pan and simmer until the liquid has evaporated enough to form a stew, about 10 minutes.
   
   Discard the skin and bones from the chicken breasts. Shred or cut the meat into small pieces. Return the chicken to the stew. Bring it to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
   Transfer the stew to serving bowls and serve with bread.