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Plenty of flavor, but no added fat
Posted by Sheryl Julian
February 9, 2010 02:42 PM
Too much good food around! Time to trim calories.
In this pot of low-fat chicken stew, I started with chicken thighs and breast halves, pulling the skin off both and trimming any pockets of fat. I made a layer of carrots and onions in the pot, added the poultry pieces, crushed tomatoes, a few lemon slices, and lots of herbs, still on their stems.
It simmered very gently for less than an hour; kidney beans went in near the end. The broth is very flavorful and a big pot of the stew will last for many meals.
Low-fat chicken stew
Serves 8
1 pound (about 8) carrots, halved crosswise
2 large onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 chicken thighs on the bone, skin and fat removed
2 chicken breast halves, skin and fat removed, pieces cut in half
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups white wine
2 cups water
1 can (14 ounces) whole tomatoes, crushed in a bowl
1 tomato can filled with water
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
Few sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary
2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. In a large soup pot, lay the carrots and onions on the bottom. Tuck the thighs into neat packages and set them, skinned sides up, on the vegetables. Add the breasts to the pot, skinned sides up. The chicken pieces should make one layer.
2. Add the wine, water, tomatoes, and 1 can of water. Bring to a boil and skim the surface thoroughly. Add another can of water.
3. Add the lemon slices, and thyme and rosemary sprigs. Cover with the lid and simmer, skimming occasionally, for 45 minutes.
4. Add the beans, recover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are very tender.
5. Remove the herb sprigs from the pot. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper, if you like. On deep plates, ladle chicken, vegetables, and beans. Sprinkle with parsley. Sheryl Julian
Contributors
Sheryl Julian, the Globe's Food Editor, writes regularly for the Food section.Devra First is the Globe's food reporter and restaurant critic. Her reviews appear weekly in the Food section.
Ellen Bhang reviews Cheap Eats restaurants for the Globe and writes about wine.