When the snow is falling outside, a stew full of beans and chicken does the trick. Pesto adds a wonderful flavor to many foods and there are all sorts of good ones on the market. In the summer if you make your own and freeze it in cubes, you'll have some ready to pop into recipes like this one. I find store bought pestos to be a bit salty so you may want to wait until the last minute to add salt. Serve with a side of bread to make the meal complete!
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
one 19 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup corn
1-2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup pesto
In a large pot, saute up the onion, garlic, red pepper, and celery in a bit of oil until softened. Remove from the pot and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper, and thyme. Toss with the chicken pieces until they are well coated. Using the same pot, add a little more oil and then the flour coated chicken, stirring and sauteing until they are browned.
Add in the reserved vegetables, beans, corn, and chicken stock, stirring to bring up the bits at the bottom. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about an hour.
Taste and adjust for seasonings, adding salt, pepper, or a shot of hot sauce if you think the stew needs it. Just before serving, stir in the pesto.
Makes 6 servings
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