Creole Chicken Stew with Baby Lima Beans

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 servings

Description

This comforting chicken stew with boneless chicken thighs, bacon, tomatoes, and baby lima beans is on the table in 1 hour for an easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

4 slices reduced-sodium bacon
1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound frozen lima beans
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, or to taste

Directions

1 Brown bacon in a 4-quart chef's pan or sauté pan over medium heat, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Leave drippings in the pan.
2 Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add to drippings in the pan. Brown over medium heat, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3 Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the same pan and cook in drippings over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, cut browned chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and chop browned bacon. Add to vegetables in the pan once tender. Stir in frozen baby lima beans, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth. Season with Creole seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary.
5 Press lima beans down into cooking broth so they cook evenly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of chicken should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).