Savor this Chicken Stew

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Sweater weather and soup season are the perfect pairing. A Savory Chicken Stew is a versatile and healthy dish to serve up to family or friends this time of year. Finding local sources for sausage, produce and beer is a cinch. Making a pot of soup over the weekend makes it easier to ease back into the work week, knowing you have a few meals under your belt.

Prepare the stew seasoned as in the recipe or swap the herb blend for your favorite curry. Use a spicy andouille sausage or try a savory sausage your butcher might recommend.

A Belgian style, or sweeter, beer is used to deglaze the pan. Using a bitter beer, like an IPA, will add a bitter flavor to the soup.

Savory Chicken Stew

Yields 8-9 cups

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4¾-pound seasoned chicken or pork sausage
  • 1 cup Belgian-style beer
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
  • 1 Tbsp Italian Herb Blend, divided
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 pound chicken (skinless breast or thighs)
  • 3 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 3 cups chopped kale
  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

  1. In a 4-quart soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the sausage with the olive oil, breaking into crumbles until lightly browned. Use the beer as needed to deglaze the pan from the meat to vegetable sauté steps.
  2. Turn the heat to medium, add the onion and stir to cook until tender. Add the pepper, celery and garlic, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the herbs, broth, tomatoes, chicken, squash, kale, beans and any remaining beer. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and chop or shred before returning it to the stew and serving.

Tip: 

If you’d like to make this a more filling stew, prepare simple dumplings to drop on top for a quick steam just before serving.

For other dumpling shapes, use a cookie cutter or lightly score the rolled dough to break into pieces after being baked and cooled.