Best Chicken Breasts With Black Beans And Smoked Bacon Stew Recipes

SOUP OF BLACK BEANS AND SMOKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse and file over beans. Soak in water to cover amply overnight. Drain, when ready to proceed.
• Remove tender from each chicken breast, and set aside for another purpose. Season chicken with salt, pepper and olive oil, put on a round, French rack, choosing a skillet, of sufficient size, that the rack can sit upon it, without sinking.
• Put the wood chips in the skillet. Put on a burner, and set to high. Heat until they begin to smoke. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken on skillet, cover with a double or triple layer of aluminum foil.
• Place into the oven and allow to bake and smoke for 10 minutes. Remove, uncover, and set aside. While the soup cooks, cut the chicken breasts into thin julienne strips, and set aside.
• Put a tablespoon of oil into a suitable soup pot or oven, and add the bacon and a little pinch of salt. Cook crisp, stirring often. Add the onions, celery. Cook till lightly gold. Stir in the garlic and bay leaves, stirring for a moment, then add the spices.
• When they begin to toast lightly, add the drained black beans and the chicken stock.
• Cook gently until the beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Retrieve one-fourth of the soup and purée it in a food mill or food processor. Return to the pot, and add the chicken, simmer for just a few moments to marry the flavors, but do not let the chicken overcook.
• Send in hot bowls, or send out in a warm tureen.

SOUTHWESTERN SPICED CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it renders much of its fat and crisps slightly, about 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Add half of the thighs to the pan and brown them well on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Brown the remaining thighs and reserve with the rest.
• There should be 2 to 3 tablespoons fat left in the pan; if there's more, spoon out and discard the excess. Add the onion and bell pepper, season well with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens and caramelizes slightly, about 7 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the chili powder and cumin, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Add the beer and cook until it's almost completely reduced, about 3 minutes. Add the beans, the chipotle and the chicken broth. When the mixture comes to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
• Transfer 2 cups of the beans and broth (but not the chipotle) to a blender, purée, and then mix it back into the rest of the broth.
• Return the thighs to the pot, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. If the stew is too thick, thin it with more chicken broth.
• Discard the chipotle. Crumble the reserved bacon. Juice one half of the lime; cut the other half into wedges. Stir the bacon, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the cilantro into the stew and season well with salt and pepper.
• Serve immediately. Sprinkle each serving with the remaining cilantro and a small dollop of sour cream. Serve with the lime wedges and fried tortilla strips, if you like.

BLACK BEAN AND SMOKED CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Pick over and rinse the beans. Put them into a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Let the beans soak overnight (or at least 8 hours).
• Drain the beans and transfer them to a medium saucepan. Add the 2 cups water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the beans are tender. Drain the beans and discard the bay leaf.
• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
• Place a heavy stockpot over medium heat for about 1 minute, then spray it twice with the vegetable oil. Add the broccoli stems, carrot, celery, and onion. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the thyme, basil, and wine. Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the wine has been reduced by 1/2.
• In the meantime, coat the chicken thoroughly with the barbecue sauce and bake for 10 minutes on the top shelf of the oven. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool just long enough to handle. Cut the chicken into small cubes.
• Add the chicken, chicken stock, and beans to the stockpot. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Stir in the evaporated milk and the broccoli florets. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring if needed to keep the soup from coming to a boil. Add the dissolved cornstarch and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Stir in the liquid smoke, worcestershire, and tabasco sauce.
• Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH BLACK BEANS AND SMOKED BACON STEW

Steps:

• Put chicken breasts in water in covered pot, bring to boil and simmer about 20 minutes, until done. Remove from broth and set aside. Reserve broth.
• Slice carrots, tomatoes and onion in a food processor with steel blade.
• Mince garlic in processor to make 1 tablespoon.
• Add the carrots, tomatoes, onion, garlic, bacon and beans to 4 cups of the reserved broth; bring to boil. Reserve remaining broth for another occasion. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes, to blend flavors.
• Meanwhile remove chicken from bones.
• When soup is ready, add oregano leaves, pepper and chicken and cook just long enough to heat chicken.
• Spoon stew into bowls; garnish with hot chili flakes and cheese.