Stewed Chicken and Vegetables

On this particular night I needed a dinner I could make ahead of time and keep warm on the stove because we were all eating at different times. This was a great recipe because it incorporated a lot of different flavors and the chicken was super moist. I served it over spaghetti squash. If you ask my kids, the best thing about this dish is that it had bacon (just a tad), which everyone in my house loves! We purchased organic uncured bacon.

When eating bacon, one thing to steer clear of is sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, which is found in a lot of lunch meats, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. It is a salt that helps to prevent bacterial cultivation of foods and makes them appear fresh.  It can lead to formation of cancer-causing molecules that can result in tumor formation. Both sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate have been linked to significantly increasing the risk of colon and other forms of cancer, so be sure to choose only uncured meat products made without nitrates, and preferably from grass-fed sources (http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/processedmeat050305.cfm).

This recipe also calls for tomato paste. When purchasing your tomato paste, make sure the bottle is made of glass or that the can is produced without BPA.  We use Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste, the cans are lined with clear, protective lining and are lead free.

The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, or BPA, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s bodies exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. You can get 50 micrograms of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young. Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Eden Organic and Bionaturae. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, such as Trader Joe’s and Pomi.” http://www.rodale.com/food-ingredients-avoid

Here is a great reference for BPA free canned food brands: http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-canned-food-brands/
Here is a BPA Canned Food Pocket Guide to take with you to the store: http://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-pocket-guide/

The Breast Cancer Fund and Silent Spring Institute found that BPA levels in families who ate fresh instead of canned or plastic-packaged food for THREE days dropped by 60%!

I loved this dish because it had lots of mushrooms! Of all the earth’s natural substances, mushrooms are among the most medicinal.  Two compounds in mushrooms are terpenoids and polyaccharides. Terpenoids are potent antiviral, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory agents. Polyaccharides are chainlike sugars that enhance the immune system and may help the body fight cancerous tumors. All mushrooms are low in fat and are a good source of B vitamins — including folate, which protects against birth defects and may prevent heart disease — as well as fiber and protein. Mushrooms have been used in China and Japan for centuries to boost immunity and fight cancer and other diseases.  ~ Information provided by Power Foods.

The onions in this recipe are good for you too! Onions help to prevent cardiovascular disease, dissolve blood clots, lower risk of developing cancer, fight against infections, improve lung functions in asthmatics, help detoxify the body, lower triglycerides and reduce blood pressure. The flavor of the onion really came through in this dish.

I used fresh thyme when marinating the chicken, which can get expensive if you buy this herb as a one-off for every recipe you make. Chances are you won’t use all the thyme you purchase during that week and it will go bad. To solve this problem I keep fresh thyme, basil and rosemary plants in my kitchen. I bought the organic plants at the food store and keep them thriving with sun and water. The herb holder was purchased at Home Goods, but I have seen them all over the place — target and Walmart have them too. (You will notice the holder says “Oregano”, but I use rosemary more than oregano, so I planted rosemary. No one notices but me. )  Smile If you prefer to shop online, Amazon.com has a Garden at Home Italian Herb Trio or  a Reclaimed Barnwood Planter Box Mini Herb Garden Kit. If you prefer to buy a box and purchase organic pre-grown herbs at your grocery store, Amazon.com has a Rectangle Planter or a Teak Herb Planter.

Fresh Herbs

Stewed Chicken and Vegetables

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Stewed Chicken and Vegetables

Organic chicken contains ten times more omega-3s.

Ingredients

  • 1 3lb chicken
  • ½ bottle red wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 oz bacon, diced
  • ¼ cup ghee
  • 15 pearl onions
  • 12 oz white mushrooms
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • Himalayan pink salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Cut chicken into eight pieces: 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts. Or purchase pieces already cut-up.
  2. Marinade the chicken in the wine, with the bay leaf and thyme for an hour.
  3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside for later use.
  4. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt 1/3 of the ghee and saute the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside for later use.
  5. In the same skillet, melt half of the remaining ghee. Saute the pearl onions until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside for later use.
  6. Drain the chicken and set the remaining marinade aside.
  7. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
  8. Melt the rest of the ghee in the fry pan and add the chicken. Saute briefly to allow all sides of the chicken to golden brown.
  9. Transfer the chicken to a large saucepan and add the remaining marinade and stock. Also add the onions, mushrooms, bacon and tomato paste.
  10. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 45 minutes.

Notes:

Purchase organic ingredients, if possible. Recipe adapted from Quick Simple Paleo Meals -- I made quite a few changes to the measurements.

Stewed Chicken and Vegetables

• 1 3lb chicken
• ½ bottle red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 oz bacon, diced
• ¼ cup ghee
• 15 pearl onions
• 12 oz white mushrooms
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
Himalayan pink salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

1. Cut chicken into eight pieces: 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts. Or purchase pieces already cut-up.
2. Marinade the chicken in the wine, with the bay leaf and thyme for an hour.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside for later use.
4. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt 1/3 of the ghee and saute the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside for later use.
5. In the same skillet, melt half of the remaining ghee. Saute the pearl onions until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside for later use.

Sauteed Veggies
6. Drain the chicken and set the remaining marinade aside.

Draining Chicken

7. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
8. Melt the rest of the ghee in the fry pan and add the chicken. Saute briefly to allow all side of the chicken to golden brown.

Pan Fried Chicken
9. Transfer the chicken to a large saucepan and add the remaining marinade and stock. Also add the onions, mushrooms, bacon and tomato paste.
10. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 45 minutes.
11. Serve over spaghetti squash.

Stewed Chicken with Spaghetti Squash

~ “Make your health and wellness a top priority.”

Leave a Reply