Chicken, Haricot Beans and Tarragon

35-45 minutes

Cut 2 large bone-in chicken breasts in half and season them with salt and black pepper.
Warm a little olive oil in a sauté pan, add the chicken and let it brown lightly on both sides.
Add 150-300g of small mushrooms, such as shimeji or little button mushrooms, and let them cook for 5 minutes in the chickens cooking juices.
Drain two 400g cans of haricot beans and add them to the sauté pan with 6 little sprigs of thyme.
Add 250ml of chicken stock and the juice of half a lemon. Bring to the boil, then immediately lower the heat so the stock simmers.
Leave to cook, partially covered with a lid and with the occasional stir, for 20 minutes.
Chop a generous handful of tarragon leaves and add to the chicken and mushrooms, then stir in the juice of another half a lemon.
If you wish, you can also stir in 100ml of double cream at this stage. Check the seasoning and serve. Enough for 2.

A light, easy meal for a chilly spring day.

Spinach, lightly cooked and thoroughly drained, is also wonderful with this.