Chicken Stew

Every once in a while, things come together in the kitchen. It's as though the culinary gods fall to earth and use your body as some sort of living cadaver to create something magical. Okay, perhaps that's a bit dramatic. But for my last adventure on my culinary staycation (see below post), I prepared a humble chicken stew that practically outshone everything else I prepared that week.

Begin by cutting 4 slices of bacon into small pieces and cooking them over medium-high heat. Remove bacon and place on a plate lined with papertowels to soak up the excess fat. While the bacon is cooking, dredge 2 pounds of chicken breasts with flour, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Shake off excess flour and then cook briefly, about 1 minute each side, in the bacon fat, adding olive oil as necessary. Do this in batches until all the chicken is cooked, transferring them to a plate once done.

Saute one large onion, diced in the remaining fat, adding 4-5 garlic cloves, minced once the onions become translucent. Cook for about 30 seconds.

Deglaze the pan/pot with approximately 1/2 cup of dry white wine, scraping the bits stuck to the bottom of the cooking vessel. Once the wine has evaporated a bit, pour in one 28-ounce can of Italian plum tomatoes and 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. Throw in 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, 1 fresh bay leaf and about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

In goes the chicken and bacon back into the pot. Cook for about 45 minutes over low heat, maintaining a soft simmer. Add 1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed well and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste and serve over rice.