Chicken, Sausage & White Bean Stew

As soon as I saw this recipe on foodgawker, I knew I had to try it. It combines things I’ve loved since I was a child: soup and chicken – and things I’ve come to love over the last year or so: sausage and white beans.  The fact that it’s made in a slow cooker makes it all the more appealing. It is a delicious, hearty stew that is incredibly satisfying and will “stick to your ribs”, as my father says.

The original recipe was a large batch and wouldn’t have fit in my 4-quart slow cooker, so I scaled it down a bit to make approximately 4-5 servings. It requires just a few minutes of prep time, and then off into the slow cooker it goes for the next 6 hours, filling your house with a mouthwatering aroma. I used chicken sausage to make it a little lighter, and found that the flavor complimented the soup perfectly. If you love comfort food, this stew is for you.

Chicken, Sausage & White Bean Stew
slightly adapted from Apple A Day Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Sausage, White Beans, and Spinach

Ingredients:
makes 4-5 servings

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 3 links chicken sausage (about 9 oz. total), diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs rosemary and 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 15. oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 4-5 cups fresh spinach or kale, torn into small pieces
• salt and pepper, to taste
• parmesan cheese

Your ingredients

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized cooking pot, heat olive oil. Add diced onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened. Stir in garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
2. Sprinkle in the flour and stir, making sure it’s well-distributed and onions are coated in it.
3. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the chicken stock, scraping up any bits of onion that are stuck to the pot. Cook for about 1 minute.
4. In your slow cooker, coat inside with cooking spray and place the chicken thighs at the bottom of the pot. Season well with salt and pepper. Pour onion-flour mixture on top, along with the remaining chicken stock, chicken sausage, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and beans.
5. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. In the last remaining 20 minutes, stir in spinach or kale and cook until wilted. My chicken had completely fallen apart at this point, but if yours is still in large chunks, you may need to shred it and then return it to the pot.
6. Serve soup with parmesan cheese and enjoy

After sauteing the onions and spices, stir in flour.

Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and stir, scraping up any bits of the onion stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 1 minute.

Coat the bottom of your crock pot with cooking spray and layer chicken thighs on top. Season well with salt and pepper.

Add remaining chicken stock, chicken sausage, herbs, and white beans to slow cooker. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.

In last remaining 20 minutes of cooking, stir in spinach or kale. Cook until wilted. If your chicken is still in big chunks, you may need to pull them out and shred them at this point, then return them to the pot.

Serve with parmesan cheese and enjoy

Also, I thought I’d mention quickly that yesterday was the first anniversary of this Hungry Hannah. Yay! In one year, this blog has reached almost 50 thousand views and has gained 79 followers. Thank you to all those who helped me get to this point and I look forward to sharing more recipes with you!

Lemon Artichoke White Bean Hummus

Ever since I started college, hummus has been one of my go-to snacks. I especially love roasted red pepper or spicy hummus. It’s the perfect snack to go along with veggies or crackers.

Hummus is typically made from puréed chickpeas, tahini (which is simply ground sesame seeds), olive oil, garlic, and other spices or flavors. Chickpeas are great and all, but I realized there was a type of hummus I liked even more – white bean hummus. White beans, such as Cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy, are softer than chickpeas and have a smoother texture when puréed. White beans have a similar flavor to chickpeas, but contain no fat whereas chickpeas contain a small amount. Chickpeas have slightly more protein, however, so it’s a bit of a trade-off.

This hummus combines two of my favorite things – lemons and artichokes. While others may have a sweet tooth, I’ve always had what I like to call a “sour tooth” – I love sour flavors. Lemons and limes were typical snacks for me growing up, and I can’t say no to sour candy like Sour Patch Kids or Warheads. I’ve also come to learn how wonderful lemon flavor can be to cooking, and how it can add brightness to any dish.
Artichokes, on the other hand, are a food I’ve only liked since I was a teenager. Canned artichokes are a pantry staple for me; I love adding them to pasta or dips, such as this hummus. Lemon and artichoke are often paired together in many traditional recipes, and are a match made in heaven in my opinion.

This Lemon Artichoke White Bean Hummus is creamy, tangy, and makes a perfect healthy afternoon snack. I love to eat it with Wheat Thins, but it would also be delicious spread on a sandwich or wrap! I’ve made this hummus a few times now and it has quickly became one of my favorites.

Lemon Artichoke White Bean Hummus
makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or other type of white bean, such as Great Northern or Navy)
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• juice from 1 lemon (about 2-3 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika
• 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained*
• salt and pepper, to taste

*To make optional artichoke garnish as shown in photo, reserve 1/4 cup of the artichokes and blend separately with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Directions:

1. In a 3-cup or larger food processor, combine white beans and olive oil and blend until smooth. If mixture is too thick, extra oil or water may be needed.
2. Add all remaining ingredients except for the artichoke hearts and blend for 30-45 seconds.
3. Add artichokes and blend until desired consistency is reached. I left mine a little bit chunky.
4. Serve with crackers or veggies. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5-6 days.

Blend your beans, olive oil, tahini, and spices in a food processor until smooth

Add artichokes and blend to desired consistency (mine needed a little extra cumin)

Serve with crackers or veggies and enjoy