Here's an easy chicken dinner that you can cook in the oven, in a Dutch oven or skillet, in an instant pot on the 'stew' setting, or on your stove top. Versatile, i know! :)
It's been a long and tumultuous year but we have somehow made it here. I promised to eke out one last recipe (at least one) before the end of the year, so here i am keeping that promise to you guys, as well as to myself.
Disclaimer: I know there is an African American New Years beans tradition, this is in NO way being released for that, it was just primed as next recipe to go out.
This i believe is actually an Italian recipe that i like because it works with chicken, (andouille) sausage and salmon. With salmon i love to throw some capers in the mix for that extra kick of saltiness.
As always, I start with a well seasoned meat and a rich stock.
My chicken was seasoned with salt, pepper, 2 seasoning cubes, mixed dried herbs, garlic and onion powder, red chili flakes, smoked paprika and a pinch of curry powder, for 24 hours.
You can get chicken scratchers (claws) for very cheap in the grocery store, and if you cook it long and slow enough (I do a minimum of 4 hours), you will get a really tasty stock. Strain and freeze and only buy store bought when you're in a pinch!
Here i have celery, carrots, onions, red chili flakes, garlic and seasoning cubes.
The rest of my ingredients are;
1 Cups Dry White Wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2.5 Canned Cannellini (White) Beans
3 Cups Spinach
1 Medium Onion
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Tsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
1 Cup Chicken Stock
Bacon (Optional)
Salt & Pepper
Preheat oven to 350F
Heat oil until hot but not smoking. Brown chicken on medium/high heat skin side down first, then flip. 3 minutes on each side should be sufficient.
Remove and set aside on an oven rack.
Pop into the oven and set timer for 15 minutes.
Next add chopped bacon into the oil the oil. When it has browned, remove and set aside.
Now it is time for our aromatics. Turn heat down to medium/low and add onions, chopped garlic and rosemary. Cook slowly while moving it around gently with your spatula until softened. This will take anywhere from 5-7 minutes.
Chicken thigh cook internal temperature is 165F, bringing it out at 155 because it will go back into the beans..
Deglaze the pot with a cup of wine, gently loosening up all the good bits of chicken that stuck to the bottom while browning. Add a cup of stock, and then your beans.
I do not taste for seasoning or season at this point and this is why - you will still have oil floating and it will coat your mouth when you go for a taste test, chances are if you proceed, you will over-season. Relax.
If you're using an instant pot, set to stew, medium temp on stove top and in the oven, give it about 20 mins at 400. At the end of that cook time you can taste and season accordingly.
Bring it back to the stove top (if you're using and instant pot, just finish off without the lid, or use the regular glass lid/not the pressure lid), stir and use the side of your spatula to mas some of the beans against the side of the pot and mix it back in. This will break out the starch and help thicken it.
Add spinach...
Add bacon...
Reintroduce chicken... Cover and allow to simmer for 3-5 mins.
Serve with a wedge of lemon.
Recipe adapted from theviewfromgreatisland.com
Comments