Braised chicken with a runner bean fricassée

Method

1. Put a large, wide pan over a high heat with a dash of oil, then put the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan and fry until crisp and golden (about 5 minutes). Lift out onto a plate, add a dash more oil to the pan and cook the shallots for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom to get all the flavour. Add the runner beans, then arrange the chicken on top, skin-side up. Leave to reduce by half, then pour in the stock and simmer for 30 minutes to gently poach the chicken while leaving the skin crisp.
2. While the chicken cooks, quarter the tomato and discard the seeds. Dice the tomato quarters into small cubes. Once the chicken has cooked through, remove from the pan once more, then stir in the tomato, peas and crème fraîche to heat through – not too rapidly otherwise the sauce may split. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then stir in the lemon zest and herbs and top with the chicken thighs to serve.