Chicken with Great Northern Beans - Crock Pot Recipe

 3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into big chunks & sprinkled with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 tablespoon EVOO or light olive oil - approximately

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2-3 carrots, chopped or sliced

2-3 ribs celery, chopped

2-3 springs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

fresh black pepper

pinch red pepper flakes

2 cans Swanson Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth (or fresh chicken stock if you have some)

3-4 cans of Great Northern Beans, drained

 

In the bottom of the crock pot toss carrots and celery.  In a hot skillet drizzled with olive oil brown the chicken chunks and then spoon the chicken into a crock pot.  In the same skillet cook the onion for 2 - 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Spoon the onions and garlic into the crock pot.   Add the chicken broth and all herbs and cook on low for 5 hours.  Stir in beans and cook for 1 - 2 hours more.   

 

*This recipe idea came from a soup recipe I saw that was not healthy and was to be pureed before serving.  So, I came up with this recipe.  If you want to cook this all day while you are working, I will brown the boneless chicken breasts whole.  Then they should not overcook.  Add the beans as soon as you get home and let them simmer until you are ready to eat.  Enjoy!

 

Serves 4-6

T's Italian Bean Stew

2 tablespoons EVOO or light olive oil

¼ - ½ lemon, sliced

4 chicken breasts or chicken from a rotisserie chicken

2 tablespoons butter

1 large, sweet onion, diced

1 clove garlic, grated

1 cup white wine

3 – 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

1 jar diced pimentos

8 sage leaves, chopped

¼ teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon of dried thyme or 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Heavy dash of lemon pepper

Spring of Rosemary

1 teaspoon Penzeys Fox Point Seasoning

¼ teaspoon Penzeys Lemon Pepper & Shallot-Pepper Seasonings

Dash red pepper flakes

3 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

½ bag fresh baby spinach, chopped

 

Parmesan cheese

EVOO

 

Heat EVOO in a large pan and brown the chicken breasts and lemon. Then remove chicken and lemon and set it aside. Add the butter to the pan, when butter has melted add the onions, and cook them until they are very tender.  Add garlic and cook for just 1 minute more.  Then add the chicken back to the pan, and the white wine to the pan and bring it to a boil until the wine has reduced. Then add the pimento, fresh sage, thyme sprig., and other seasonings. As soon as the stew comes to a boil, turn the heat to a simmer and cover; cooking for at least an hour.  An hour before serving add the chopped baby spinach and simmer. You may want to top it off with another squeeze of lemon juice or a little more fresh sage.

Serve with a drizzle of EVOO and a layer of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Pinto Beans

 1 pound dry pinto beans, soaked overnight

1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste

1 teaspoon cumin or to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 ham hocks and /or 6 slices Virginia Deli Ham, diced

4 -5 cups water, approximately

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic powder or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Fresh ground black pepper

Dash cayenne or hot sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

 

Directions:

Wash the beans and soak overnight in cold water.  Put drained beans and all other ingredients into the slow cooker.  Make sure water is covering the beans. Cook on high for 6-7 hours or until beans are soft. 

 Serve with cornbread!  

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

 1 -15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

1-15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1- 2 tablespoons grated red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon Mt. Olive diced jalapeno peppers

1 4.5 ounce diced green chiles

1/4 cup lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Tortilla chips

 

Directions:

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

T’s Red Beans and Rice

1-pound bag red beans, preferably Camellia, that have been soaked well covered in water for 8 – 12 hours!

4 - 6 slices deli ham, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter, or 1more tablespoon of olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon Thyme

1 tablespoon tomato paste, optional

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional

6-8 cups water, enough to well cover the beans.  At least by 1 inch or so.

1 package smoked or Andouille sausage, sliced into ½” slices

2-4 cups cooked rice

Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot.  When oil is hot add the ham, onions, celery and the red pepper, sautéing until very soft, about 8 - 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.  Now add all other ingredients except the sausage.  Mix well, bring to a boil and then turn heat down to a low simmer.  Take sausage slices and either broil them until browned or brown them in a skillet.  Drain sausage on paper towels to absorb the grease.  Now add the sausage to the beans and simmer beans for 6-8 hours on low.  Beans should be very soft and mushy!  Serve over some rice with a nice piece of French Bread.

New Year’s Black Eyed Peas

1 pound black eyed peas, rinsed and soaked overnight

1 tablespoon lite olive oil or canola oil

1 – 2 cups diced ham of choice

4 slices bacon, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups water, approx.

Dash red pepper flakes

Dash black pepper

¼ teaspoon mace

Salt to taste

Sauté ham, onions, garlic just until tender.   Add peas, water and all spices and cook until tender.

Slow Cooker Great Northern Beans with Chicken

3 chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch chunks

1-2 tablespoons EVOO, or regular olive oil

3 slices deli ham, diced

2 onions, chopped

½ red pepper, chopped

½ cup white wine

1 package Great Northern Beans, soaked overnight

1 teaspoon chicken base

1 cup water

1 quart carton Trader Joe's Low Sodium Chicken broth

6 - 3-4 inch sprigs of fresh rosemary

½  teaspoon each- garlic powder, ground rosemary, thyme leaves, lemon pepper

Optional – ½ teaspoon each, Penzey’s shallot pepper &  Sunny Paris

Dash red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon salt

In a skillet brown the chicken and then place in into the slow cooker, along with the soaked and drained beans.  In the same skillet now sauté the onions, red pepper, and ham until onions are nice and soft.  Add white wine to the skillet and cook until the wine is reduced by half, then add the onion mixture into the slow cooker and all other ingredients.  Mix well and set on high and cook for 5-6 hours, or until the beans are nice and soft. 

Pinto Beans by Teri & Lana

Ingredients:

1 pound dry pinto beans, soaked overnight

1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste

1 teaspoon cumin or to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 ham hocks and /or 6 slices Virginia Deli Ham, diced

4 -5 cups water, approximately

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic powder or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Fresh ground black pepper

Dash cayenne or hot sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Wash the beans and soak overnight in cold water.  Put drained beans and all other ingredients into the slow cooker.  Make sure water is covering the beans.

Cook on high for 6-7 hours or until beans are soft. 

Serve with cornbread!  

Teri’s Chicken, Cannellini Beans, and Spinach Stew

**This recipe came from the need to use up leftover rotisserie chicken on a cloudy, cool day!

1 large onion, diced

2 tablespoons EVOO or light olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

½ bag fresh baby spinach, chopped

1 cup white wine

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

½ lemon, sliced

8 sage leaves, chopped

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon Penzeys Fox Point Seasoning

¼ teaspoon Penzeys Lemon Pepper & Shallot-Pepper Seasonings

Dash red pepper flakes

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

½ rotisserie chicken, with bones/skin removed and then diced

½ bag fresh baby spinach, chopped

Heat EVOO in large pan and add onions, cooking until tender.  Add garlic and cook for just 1 minute more.  Then add ½ bag of the baby spinach, lemon slices, fresh sage, thyme sprig, and white wine.  Bring the mixture to a full boil and then add the chicken broth, chicken, beans, and seasonings.  As soon as the stew comes to a boil, turn heat to a simmer and cover; cooking for at least an hour.  Just before serving, add the other half a bag of baby spinach, chopped and check for seasonings.  You may want to top it off with another squeeze of lemon juice or a little more fresh sage. 

I did not add the spinach all at once because I like layering the flavors.  You can add it all at once in the beginning or at the end depending on your tastes!  Enjoy!