I have Nigella Lawson to thank for my passion for cannellini (or white kidney) beans. They are hearty, satisfying and absorb other flavors so well that I try to keep at least two cans in my pantry. This way, I know I'm always half way to a home cooked meal. I've already used them in the Tuscan Tomato and White Bean soup recipe I posted last month. This week's recipe is my twist on a Nigella fave: chicken with cannellini beans and chorizo. I'm not a huge chicken fan, but this is super easy and makes my husband (who's also not poultry inclined) propose all over again. What's not to like?
In a future post, I'll be talking more about pantry staples. In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you. What do you always keep on hand? What are you go to items for a quick and delicious meal?
Chicken With Cannellini Beans and Chorizo
2 cups chicken stock
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 bag of fresh spinach
2 teaspoons olive oil (A garlic olive oil would work nicely with this)
8 ounces chorizo sausage, skin removed, sliced into disks, and chopped into quarters.
Note: You can substitute a turkey or a chicken sausage, but the oil from the chorizo gives the beans a lot of flavor; if you aren't using it, add a packet of Sazon Goya and a little olive oil as a substitute.
1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
Paprika, for garnish
In a saucepan, bring the stock to a gentle boil, lower in the chicken and cook, still gently, for 10 minutes or until all trace of pink has disappeared. Pierce with the point of a knife to check.
Remove the chicken from the stock. Drop the spinach into the hot chicken stock. It'll cook within two minutes. Drain the spinach and put aside.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, throw in the chorizo, add the drained cannellini and, stirring, warm everything through, moistening with a couple of tablespoons or so of the chicken stock -- or more if you want this soupier.
Tip the beans and chorizo into a shallow bowl or lipped plate, roughly arrange the spinach on top (drizzling with a little extra-virgin olive oil if you like) and then lift the cooked chicken out of the stock with a spatula and sit this on top of the spinach.
Sprinkle the pale chicken breasts with the paprika and as Nigella says, "gaze at your Spanish still life of a supper before eating it."
