Corn, tomatoes, and lima beans simmered with chicken make for comfort food at its best. This colorful yellow, green, and tomato-red stew invites everyone to gather around and serve themselves from the pot. It works equally well with fresh or frozen vegetables. 

For plain or fancy occasions, our family has made this farmhouse favorite almost forever and we bet you will, too. The vegetables shine here, enhanced by light seasoning, the tang of Worcestershire sauce, and fresh lemon, yet this is a dish that will also satisfy good appetites. So fine just off the fire, Brunswick stew is even more excellent the next day. This dish dates to pioneer days and before, as Native Americans certainly prepared a stew of corn and beans with wild game.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

1. In a medium-size soup pot, place the chicken, 1 cup of water, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, until the chicken is done (opaque and no longer pink when you cut into the thickest part). While the chicken simmers, prep the vegetables and assemble the remaining ingredients. 
2. Remove chicken from the pot, placing it on a plate to cool. Add the lima beans, corn, tomatoes and juice, onion, potatoes, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and simmer, covered. As the vegetables cook, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding the skin and bones, and return it to the pot. 
3. Simmer the stew, covered, until the vegetables are nicely tender, about 20 minutes more.
4. To thicken the sauce, stir flour into 1/4 cup of water, using a fork to blend the mixture until it's smooth. Then stir blended flour into the stew and simmer for a minute. The sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. Squeeze lemon juice into the stew; taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Notes:

• Bone-in chicken produces a richer-tasting broth, though you can use boneless, skinless chicken if you prefer, or any combination of white or dark meat (chicken thighs or drumsticks also will do).
• For added richness—what chefs call "mouth-feel"—stir in a couple of tablespoons of butter or olive oil during the last minute of cooking.