Southern Style Chicken and Sausage

Southern-Style Chicken and Sausage

6 slices bacon, cut into 1/4″ pieces

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 large chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

8 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 c flour

3 1/2 c unsalted chicken stock, divided

1 pound cooked, smoked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

1/2 c black beans, rinsed

Add salt to taste (updated 5/18/2017)

1.  Cook bacon in a heavy Dutch Oven (#Ad), uncovered, over medium -low heat for 10 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally.  Remove bacon to a paper-towel-covered plate.  Drain bacon drippings into a small bowl for use later.  Do not wipe out Dutch oven because you are going to use those residual drippings to cook the spinach in the next step!
2. Remove spinach as a frozen block from box.  Place on a microwave safe plate, cover with a paper plate and cook for 5 minutes.  Drain spinach in a colander, pressing it with the back of a spatula so that it is dry.  Add the spinach to the bacon drippings into the Dutch oven over medium heat until heated through and thoroughly cooked, an additional 7-8  minutes. Remove the spinach from the Dutch oven and set aside in a small bowl.
3. Add 2 teaspoons of the bacon drippings into the Dutch oven.  Season the chicken with the black pepper.  Brown half of the chicken pieces, uncovered, 4-6 minutes, stirring once.  Remove the cooked chicken and repeat this step, adding an additional 2 teaspoons of bacon drippings and the rest of the chicken pieces.
4.  Add the garlic, onion, thyme and red pepper flakes to the Dutch oven with all the remaining bacon drippings.  Cook over medium heat (not too hot!) and stir until onion is softened, about 7 minutes.  Sprinkle flour over vegetables; cook and stir 1 minute longer.  Slowly stir in 1 cup of the chicken stock, stirring with a whisk until the sauce thickens.  Stir in the remaining stock, the sausage rounds, spinach, black beans, chicken and bacon.  Cook on low until simmering and then enjoy!

 

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