Recipe: Chicken stew

I know it doesn't feel like fall. But, at some point, we're going to get some cool weather and a bowl of homemade soup or stew is going to taste so good.

This recipe comes courtesy of Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis. It's so delicious - and so simple. A good reminder that the little extra work it takes to stir up a homemade stew is more than worth it.

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained

One word on the ingredients: I didn't have fresh basil on hand so the can of diced tomatoes that I used included basil in it.

In a heavy saucepan, heat up the olive oil over medium heat and add the veggies - celery, carrots and onion. Cook the veggies for about five minutes until the onion is translucent and the carrot and celery have started to soften. Add some salt and pepper, to taste. Then, stir in the tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme. Add the chicken breasts and make sure they are at least mostly covered with the broth mixture.

Turn the heat to medium low and let the stew simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes. You'll want to stir it from time to time and turn the chicken breasts over so they are fully cooked. (I needed to take the breasts out and chop them in thirds so they would cook a bit more quickly).

Once the chicken is fully cooked, take the breasts and bay leaf out. Toss the bay leaf. Add the kidney beans to the pot and let it continue to simmer for about 10 more minutes.

While that happens, let the meat cool for a few minutes before removing the chicken from the bones and shredding it. Put the chicken back in the stew and let it simmer for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with some crusty bread.