Gourmet Gals

Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and White Beans:

For a one pot meal easy to make ahead, I like this Chicken Stew. It has Italian overtones so you could go with pasta and antipasti sides, or a tomato and fresh mozzerela salad.

Servings: 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:
4 bacon slices, chopped
6 chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 2 1/2 pounds)(my husband likes it w/o bones-- i like the flavor of the dark meat though)
All purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 14 1/2-ounce cans stewed tomatoes
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), drained

Preparation: Cook chopped bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Add to drippings in pot and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add chopped onion and minced garlic to pot; sauté 4 minutes. Add bacon, stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, red wine, basil and oregano. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add cannellini; simmer 10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.