Rustic Sausage & Chicken with White Bean Stew

If you are looking for a different take on stew, this recipe is for you! Its rich flavor includes both chicken and Cajun andouille sausage, seasoned with a perfect blend of herbs.

The primary difference between a soup and a stew is the amount of liquid used to prepare it. To stretch your grocery budget a bit farther, double the amount of broth (or use a combination of broth and water) and add some chopped greens, such as spinach, kale, or escarole, to make a rich, satisfying soup instead. I have made it both ways and both are equally delicious. My easy Rustic Beer Bread would be an ideal accompaniment to this amazing stew!

I save a lot of time on recipes like this by having cut-up vegetables cleaned and prepped in the fridge and freezer. Although I am a gardener, for the life of me, I cannot keep herbs alive in the house during the winter, so I generally use dried herbs in the stew. I also pretty much only use jarred minced garlic.

After losing a lot of weight, we try to eat keto or low carb most of the time. SInce most commercially available Andouille sausage contains some sugar, check out Niman Ranch (https://www.nimanranch.com/) for information on where to buy their sugar-free version.

Rustic Sausage & Chicken with White Bean Stew

Print Recipe

Prep time 20 minutes, Cook time 1 hour, Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced (or about 1/2 tbsp of jarred minced garlic)
• 2 large stalks celery, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced and cut into half rounds
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 3-oz. Cajun andouille sausage, sliced
• 3 c. chicken broth
• 2 T. fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (or 2 t. dried)
• 1 T. fresh thyme leaves (or 1 t. dried)
• 2 whole bay leaves (adds a lot of flavor, but can be skipped)
• 1 29-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 T. fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions

1.  Add one-tablespoon olive oil to a large high-sided skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir to combine and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and develop some color, approximately 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken thighs, sliced sausage, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
3. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until the chicken pulls apart easily with two forks.
4. Add the cannellini beans and stir to combine. Simmer for another 4-5 minutes, or just until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley right before serving.

Enjoy! Be sure to let me know what you think!