A rich and decadent dish, perfect for these wintry, wet evenings.

For the vegetarians out there you can substitute the chicken for 400g mushrooms – a mix of portobello and buttons is good. And you’re feeling like you need to add something green to this dish then a couple of good handfuls of shredded spinach would make a welcome addition too.

CREAMY CHICKEN PASTA

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 onions, quartered, finely sliced
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
• 1¼ cups sour cream
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 400g pasta of your choice, cooked to al dente to serve
• shaved parmesan and chopped parsley to serve

In a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat, melt together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the butter. Add the onions and cook until dark golden brown and caramelised. This will take 15-20 minutes and is a step that mustn’t be skipped as it adds a wonderful depth and sweetness to the dish. Spoon out of the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan without washing out. Once hot add the chicken, browning on all sides until cooked through.

Return the onions to the pan along with the sour cream and the smoked paprika. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve on top of pasta with parmesan and parsley.