Make Ahead

Chicken and White Bean Stew with Rosemary

by:
November 13, 2012
4.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This was the first dinner I prepared when I launched my business. My clients loved how tender the chicken was, due largely in part to slow, gentle cooking. It's the perfect thing to warm you up on a fall evening, or the next morning if you're lucky enough to have leftovers. —lisina

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 strip of thick cut bacon or 3 strips of regular bacon
  • 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 cups AP flour
  • 1 onion
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1/4 cup tomato concasse, or crushed san marzano tomatoes
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 quart high quality chicken stock (homemade if possible)
  • 1 16 oz can of navy or cannellini beans, drained
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Heat olive oil over medium low heat in a large, covered saute pan. Chop the bacon finely (I truly feel a cleaver is the best tool for this--it seems excessive, but it provides a consistency somewhere between a chop and a grind), add the bacon to the pan and begin to render the fat and crisp the meat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.
  2. Cut your chicken breasts into large 1-2" chunks and toss with flour. Increase heat to medium high and add the chicken pieces to the hot bacon fat to brown a few at a time. Remove chicken from the pan once color starts to develop and reserve. Add more olive oil to the pan as needed.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Slice the onion and add to the pan and sprinkle with salt. As the onion begins to sweat, scrape up the golden bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. When the onions are soft, deglaze with the white wine and add the tomatoes and the rosemary. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Return the bacon and the chicken to the pan, and add the chicken stock. Let the liquid come up to a simmer, and reduce the heat to low, partially covering the pan. The liquid should be simmering gently.
  5. Let this work for 45 minutes or so, stirring occasionally to make sure the chicken cooks evenly.
  6. When the liquid has reduced by half, and the chicken is cooked through and very tender, add the beans. If this makes the stew too thick, add some more chicken stock, or even a bit of water. Let this simmer until the beans are cooked through. Remove the rosemary stem, check for seasoning, and serve warm.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • healthierkitchen
    healthierkitchen
  • lisina
    lisina

2 Reviews

healthierkitchen November 16, 2012
This sounds really interesting and delicious. I have some gigante beans I cooked earlier in the week that I think I will use in this tomorrow night!
 
lisina November 16, 2012
oh good, let me know how it turns out! though some might argue otherwise, i think it is equally wonderful (and definitely healthier) without the bacon :)