Hey, you can't just sing all the time, you have to eat, too! To that end, this page is for recipes shared by choir members. Feel free to make a contribution by giving it to our fearless leader Daniel at practice, or send it to him via e-mail, subject line: recipe for the choir web site.

Tuscan Chicken Stew - this was a big hit at our recent potluck to kick off the 2014 Christmas Eve Cantata season (thanks, Shirley!):

Total time: About 1 hour
Servings: 4-8
Note: Adapted from Food Network Kitchens' "How to Boil Water".

• at least 1 onion
• at least 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 (15 oz) can cannellini or Great Northern beans
• 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 3 lbs.)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large sprig rosemary or 1 t. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1/2 c dry red wine
• 1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 c chicken broth
• 1 small head escarole or 4 c baby spinach leaves (about 8 oz)
• 1/2 c freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese (about 1 oz)
  

1. Chop the onion; smash and peel the garlic. Rinse and drain the beans in a colander or strainer. (I didn't think rinsing and draining the beans made any difference.)

2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken all over with salt and black pepper. Add the oil to the Dutch oven. When the oil is hot, add the chicken skinned (rounded) sides down, and brown, in batches if necessary, about 4 minutes per side.

3. When all the chicken has been browned, reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and herbs; cook, stirring until the onions are lightly soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until brick red, about 1 minute. Add the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits that cling to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until syrupy, about 1 minute.

4. Add the beans, tomatoes and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken pieces in the stew, adding to the pan any collected juices from the plate. Simmer the stew, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

5. Trim the escarole and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. (If you're using baby spinach, there's no need to do this.) Wash the escarole or spinach and drain. Add the greens to the stew, cooking until wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in shallow bowls.

Each serving (two thighs): 642 calories, 55 grams protein; 24 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams fiber; 32 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 179 mg cholesterol; 5 grams sugar; 650 mg sodium

Download the PDF file: click here.