Tuscan Chicken, Kale & White Bean Stew

 

We were very fortunate to have survived Sandy's frightening wrath with only a couple of days without power (running on generator) and a few large tree branches down in the yard.  After a week of eating out or ordering take out and a snowy northeaster headed our way, I needed this dinner.

This stew was a welcoming meal for my family arriving home on our first snowy evening of the season. It started out as a soup, but when you need a knife, fork, and spoon to eat, it became a stew.  Don't be put off by the list of ingredients -- it's a one-pot dinner.  Braising the chicken thighs till the meat falls off the bone in a broth of vegetables with wine gives this dish over the top depth of favor.  Make sure you serve it with grated cheese and crusty bread.  For left-overs, I took the meat off the bone for an easy take-to-work lunch.

Tuscan Chicken, Kale & White Bean Stew 

Serves 4

8 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed.
2 links of hot turkey sausage
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1 sprig of rosemary
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
3 small carrots, peeled and sliced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 cup white wine ( I used Sauvignon Blanc)
2 cans chicken broth, low sodium
1 small can tomato sauce or one cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned white beans (rinsed)
2 cups of chopped kale
Grated parmesan Cheese

In a dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of olive oil and brown the links of turkey sausage over medium heat.  Remove sausage, slice, and set aside.  Salt & pepper the chicken thighs and add to dutch oven, brown on both sides.  Remove thighs, set aside and lower heat.  Add crushed pepper, onion, carrots and celery and sauté for a few minutes, then add the garlic.   Deglaze the pan with wine, add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, chicken thighs, and sausage.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, and add sprig of rosemary to the top.  Simmer for 45 minutes uncovered.  Remove rosemary sprig and add in the kale and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.  Stir in white beans.  Serve in large soup bowls with grated cheese and crusty bread.