The secret to this casserole is in the orange zest. It provides a clean, fresh taste to this one-pot casserole. The dish is somewhat like a cassoulet, but because it contains no red meat, it’s so much better for you. The red beans provide more of the protein with the added bonus of a good fiber.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken breast – no skin, cubed to 1” pieces and brined for an hour
- 4 cloves garlic – smash minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil - divided
- 1 lge onion – chopped
- 2 med carrots – peeled and julienned
- 1 cup canned whole tomatoes – coarsely chopped, with their juice
- ¼ cup dry white wine – use real wine… the stuff labeled cooking wine has too much salt
- 2 15 oz cans red kidney beans – drained and rinsed - about 3 cups
- 1 tsp fresh orange zest
- 4 tbsp plain breadcrumbs or Panko
Preparation:
Brine the chicken in a standard salt brine for about an hour. Rinse to remove excess salt, then toss the chicken with the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
In a Dutch oven or large skillet with cover, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and saute for 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add the onion and carrots to the pan and saute for about 6-7 minutes until onions are soft. Add the tomatoes with juice, wine, beans and orange zest. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add chicken back to the pan. Cover, transfer pot to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.
Combine ½ tbsp olive oil and the breadcrumbs. Uncover the pot and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the casserole. Bake for another 10 minutes uncovered until the crumbs are browned.
