Enter my summer take on white beans and grilled chicken. Our family loves beans in just about all forms. I make them in the winter and serve them simply with bread and salad. However, now that I'm gluten free, I'm looking for some new ways to serve them.
Tuscan white beans and rosemary are an Italian winter classic. I don't have rosemary on hand this week, but do have a large box of basil that I carried with me on vacation looking for an opportunity that did not materialize. So, here I am, home at last looking in my pantry for something easy to start the post vacation work week and what do I find; a small bag of dried Great Northerns just waiting for my inspiration.
The plan is to soak the white beans and then cook them with fresh sweet onion, garlic and the basil stems. Then serve them alongside some grilled chicken I've marinated with EVOO, garlic and topped with the creamy basil dressing from the Epicurious post included below. Add a bit of fresh corn and a summer salad and we should be in business for a healthy and satisfying dinner.
Summer White Beans
- 8 oz dried White Beans (Great Northern, Navy, Cannellini, etc.)
- Few stems of Basil (Remove the stems, reserve the leaves for serving)
- 1/2 large sweet onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 large bay leaves
- Enough fresh filtered water to cover
Soak dried beans overnight in water. When ready to cook, strain beans and cover with a few inches of fresh water. Add the remaining ingredients and ensure that there's enough water to cover the beans and other ingredients. Place over medium heat and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Check a few beans for doneness and continue to cook until beans are soft, but not mushy.
When beans are cooked through, strain out the onion, carrots, bay leaves and basil stems from the pot with a large spoon. Next, strain the beans through a colander to remove them from the cooking liquid. Place beans in serving bowl and add:
- a few tablespoons of good EVOO (just enough to lightly coat the beans)
- basil leaves torn into smaller pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
Serve with Tuscan Chicken below. Leftovers make a terrific lunch the next day. You can add a few red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat if you desire.
Tuscan Chicken Thighs
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- Pinch of salt
- Few grinds of fresh pepper
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp crushed or minced garlic (I use the kind from a jar)
- 1 tsp dried Oregano (crush in your palm before adding)
- 1 tsp dried Basil (crush in your palm before adding)
Place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag in the order provided. Seal the bag and massage the marinade over the chicken pieces to ensure even coating. Place bag in a baking dish and leave in the fridge at least overnight and up to 2 days.
Heat grill and clean grates. When grill is hot, strain chicken pieces from marinade and place on hot grill. Turn grill to low and do not disturb the chicken pieces for 5 minutes (check at around 4 minutes to ensure the chicken is cooking and not burning). Rotate the chicken half a turn (to create "grill marks") and allow to continue cooking for 2 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook for 3 minutes. Rotate again and allow to cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the largest piece from the grill and check for doneness either with an instant read thermometer or by cutting a small slit into the middle of the piece of chicken deep enough so that you can determine if it is done. When chicken has cooked through, remove to a plate and tent with foil. Allow chicken pieces to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with Basil Dressing.
LINK - Epicurious.com: Basil Dressing
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