Here’s a laid-back version of your Country Chicken Stew recipe:
What you’ll need:
- Half a pound of dried navy beans
- 4 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped into tiny pieces
- 2 small onions, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- A bundle of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley (tie them up for easy removal later)
- 1 whole chicken (if you remember, rub some salt under the skin beforehand)
- Enough water to cover everything
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 3 large carrots, sliced
- A third of a head of cabbage, thinly sliced
- A squeeze of lemon or a splash of red wine vinegar to finish
- Extra parsley or any other herbs you like for garnishing
Here’s how to make it:
- Start by soaking the beans in water for anywhere between 4 to 12 hours.
- In a large pot, sauté the bacon, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until they’re soft and flavorful, which should take about 10 minutes.
- Add the soaked beans and herbs to the pot, then place the whole chicken on top. Pour in enough water to cover everything, add the salt, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about an hour.
- After an hour, remove the chicken and let it cool on a large plate or cutting board. Skim off any foam from the top of the soup. Remove the bundle of herbs, then add the carrots and cabbage to the pot and let it continue to simmer until the veggies are soft.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off and cut or shred it into bite-sized pieces. Add half of the chicken back to the pot and save the other half for another meal later in the week.
- Finish the stew with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of red wine vinegar. Serve it with extra herbs if you like, and don’t forget a piece of hot crusty bread slathered with garlic herb butter for dunking. Enjoy!
Bonus: Garlic Herb Butter
- Soften a stick of butter, then mix in a clove of grated garlic, some herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Put it back in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. It’s perfect for slathering on any kind of bread you like.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Pre-soak your beans for 4 hours. Using the Sauté function, cook the bacon, onion, and garlic in the Instant Pot for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the beans and herbs to the pot and place the whole chicken on top. Pour in enough water to cover the chicken or almost cover it, depending on the size of your Instant Pot. Add in the salt. Place the lid on, and set the timer to cook on manual mode for 25 minutes. Let the steam release naturally. Take out the chicken to chop or shred. Pull out the herbs. Add in the carrots and cabbage. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and give everything a good stir. Let the soup sit for a few minutes until the cabbage and carrots soften.
