Chicken filled with taleggio and pancetta on a white chilli bean stew

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 110°C/gas 1/4.

2. Slice 4 very fine slices off the piece of pancetta. Layer the pancetta slices on a baking sheet between 2 layers of greaseproof paper. Top with an ovenproof weight to flatten the pancetta. Roast for 3 hours until the pancetta has dried out. Set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, make the bean stew. Drain the beans and rinse in cold water.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole dish. Add the onion and fry gently for 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent.

5. Add the garlic and chilli and cook gently for a further minute.

6. Add the beans, 500ml of chicken stock and the remaining pancetta (still in one piece). Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer on the lowest possible temperature (ideally using a heat diffuser), for 1 and a half hours until the beans are tender. While simmering, check that the beans remain covered by stock and top up with more stock if necessary.

7. Preheat the oven to 140°C/gas 1.

8. Remove the piece of pancetta and chop it into small cubes. Mix together with the Taleggio.

9. Using a small sharp knife cut a slit in each chicken breast fillet to form a pocket. Stuff the chicken breasts with the pancetta mixture and place on a greased baking sheet. Season the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground pepper and brush with the remaining olive oil.

10. Roast the chicken breasts for 11 minutes, until cooked through.

11. Meanwhile, make the chorizo sauce. Sweat the onions in the olive oil. Add the garlic, chilli, tomato purée and the diced chorizo. Season well and simmer for a few minutes. Add the cream and stock and continue simmering until slightly thickened.

12. Pass the sauce through a sieve to get a smooth glossy finish.

13. Season the chilli bean stew with salt and freshly ground pepper and stir in the truffle oil and parsley.

14. Divide the bean stew between 4 large soup bowls. Top each with the chicken breasts and place a slice of the dried pancetta on top of each portion. Drizzle a little of the chorizo sauce around each portion and serve.