2010_10_31-RPepplerkale03.jpgMore stew then soup, this meal-in-a-bowl is hearty, thick and impossibly satisfying.

2010_10_31-RPepplerkale01.jpgIf November could be nestled into a bowl, this recipe would be it. Packed with comforting roast chicken, thickened with cannellini beans and starchy thyme-roasted potatoes, this hefty stew's true star is the hearty, uber-nutritious winter green swirled into it: kale.

To prepare this ruffle-edged delicacy, rinse away any silt and dirt by running the leaves under water and cutting out the hard stems before coarsely chopping/ripping apart the leaves. Bushels of this sturdy, almost sweet in flavor green flood the markets now all the way through March, lending plenty of time to enjoy the taste fall all the way through spring frost.

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Kale and Chicken Stew

Serves 6-8

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 medium mixed potatoes; diced (I used Yukon gold, red and purple)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion; chopped
1 large shallot; minced
2 carrots; peeled and diced
6 cups chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese; finely grated
5 cups chopped kale
15-ounce can cannellini beans; drained
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In a separate sheet pan, toss the potatoes with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook 15 minutes until softened. Add in chicken stock, thyme, chicken, potatoes, Parmesan, salt and pepper bring to a simmer. Add the kale and beans and simmer for another 20 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot.

Related: Five Ways to Eat: Kale

(Images: Rebekah Peppler)

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