Chicken and Black Bean Stew

This past weekend, Nicholas and Raphael (two of my four assistants) and I were busily working and cooking.  We made some nice things such as beef stew, sweet & spicy squash soup, and chicken and black bean stew.

Many of those who ate wanted the recipe for their own use.  The trouble is, I made enough for 75 people and I need to break it down for a family.  Below is the recipe and I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:
1 chicken cut up
1 cup of chicken stock
3 TB olive oil
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed 3 times
1 lb of carrots, cubed
1/2 lb green beans, cleaned, stemmed, and cut into 1 inch length
2 lbs of red potatoes, cubed
1 small onion or 1 leek, rough chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of chili powder (I prefer chipotle or ancho powder)
1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Remove the tips of the wings and debone the breasts and discard.   Bones should remain intact for the thighs, legs and remainder of the wings as the marrow will increase the flavor of the broth and they can be removed prior to serving.   Cut the chicken breasts up in 1 inch cubes.

In a large pot, begin heating the oil.  Once heated, add the chicken to brown slightly, stirring occasionally and add the leeks or onions and the garlic.  Continue to saute them for five minutes.  Add enough water to cover the chicken.  While continuing to stir, add the black beans and carrots.  Continue to stir and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes, stock, and the cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, and black pepper.  stir once to blend and cover the pot to continue to cook (about 15 minutes).  Stir and check the tenderness of the potatoes.  At this point, add the green beans and salt to the mixture and continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes.  Keep in mind, potatoes will often absorb the salt, so you should continue to taste the dish.

The  potatoes will thicken the dish turning it into a stew.  I really enjoyed serving this dish over rice.  Other items may be added to this recipe.  Stewed tomatoes may often be added giving this dish a “chili” like appearance.

Have fun trying this dish at home.  Don’t forget, copies of the cookbooks are available through various vendors and you can check them out Here.