sherry7

Chicken Stew
Serves 6

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 carrot, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 small onion, chopped
* salt & freshly ground black pepper
* 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
* 1 (14 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 cup fresh basil leaf, torn into pieces
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
* 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed


Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. Saute the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts; press to submerge.

Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning the chicken breasts over and stirring the mixture occasionally, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the kidney beans to the pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced into a stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken meat to the stew. Bring the stew just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the stew into serving bowls. Optional for non WLS people: serve over 1 lb of small sized, cooked pasta or serve with crusty bread.

Freezes well, so double or triple the recipe if you want.

__________________
Sherry

Counting down to May 25, 2010...baby boy or baby girl? Such an awesome 2nd surgiversary present!

What did YOU eat today? Join your fellow TT'ers by posting at: http://www.thinnertimesforum.com/gb-...day-today.html

Lap RNY -05/29/08

274 orientation/253 day of surgery/151 current/149 goal
Total pounds gone forever - 122