Chicken & vegetable stew

• 4boneless, skinless chicken thighsabout 400 g (14 oz)
• 1onionfinely chopped
• 2 mediumcarrots
• 2 mediumpotatoesabout 400 g (14 oz)
• 100 g (¾ cup)frozen peas
• 1 clovegarlicfinely minced, optional
• ½ tspdried thymeoptional
• 600 ml (2½ cups)wateruse water, not ready-made stock, which is usually salty
• 1 tbspvegetable or olive oil

Steps

1. 1Wash your hands. Scrub the carrots and potatoes under running water, then peel them. Cut away any green, damaged or sprouting parts of the potatoes. Rinse and peel the onion. Cut the carrots lengthwise into sticks about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), never round coins, and cut the potatoes into wedges of a similar size.
2. 2Don't rinse the raw chicken: washing spreads bacteria around the kitchen. Wash your hands, board and knife after handling it.
3. 3Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat and cook the onion gently for about 10 minutes, stirring, until very soft and see-through. Add the garlic and thyme for the last minute, without letting them brown.
4. 4Add the whole chicken thighs, carrots, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft and the chicken is very tender and reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Check with a food thermometer: color isn't a reliable sign. Don't add salt.
5. 5Add the peas and simmer for 5 more minutes, until very soft.
6. 6Lift out the chicken, let it cool a little, then pull it into strips along the grain or shred it finely, removing any fat or gristle. Return it to the pot.
7. 7Take your baby's portion out now, before any salt or seasoning goes in. Spread it in a shallow bowl to cool, stirring. Squash a piece of carrot and potato between your thumb and finger: they should squash easily. Check it's only just warm before serving.