Brunswick Chicken Stew

Tonkcats's Note:

Brunswick stew is better if made a day ahead and allowed to stand in refrigerator overnight in order for flavors to blend. Serve with a salad and hot bread with butter. Named for Brunswick County, Virginia, was originally made with squirrel and without vegetables, cooked slowly for hours and thickened with stale bread.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 3 lbs broiler-fryer chickens , cut into 8 pieces
• 1 teaspoon butter or 1 teaspoon margarine
• 1 medium onion , sliced
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 cup lima beans (fresh) or 1 cup lima beans (frozen)
• 1 cup fresh corn or 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 slices white bread (fresh) or 2 slices whole wheat bread , cubed (fresh)

Directions:

1. Rinse chicken pieces; drain well.
2. Heat butter in a 4 quart cast-iron kettle or Dutch oven.
3. Saute sliced onion in butter until golden.
4. Add tomatoes, water, thyme, basil, cayenne and salt. Stir to combine well; add chicken pieces.
5. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
6. Scrub and quarter potatoes; add to kettle after chicken has cooked 30 minutes.
7. If using fresh lima beans, add along with potatoes.
8. Cook 20 minutes longer.
9. Add fresh or f rozen corn and lima beans, if using frozen.
10. Cook 5 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
11. Push chicken and vegetables to one side of kettle. Stir bread into broth in kettle until it has disintegrated and broth is thickened.
12. Stir chicken, vegetables and broth together.

Reviews

[Wendy Hamlett]

Simple & tasty.