Recipe: Seared Chicken with Cannellini Beans & Spinach

We’re making house calls! Chef Jeff is out and about for a fridge raid with a twist, helping fellow Fox family member Haley Hinds give her leftovers a makeover as we improv an idea for dinner. See her IG food feed by clicking here.

Click here for a printer-friendly version of the recipe below. If you make it, let us know how it turned out! 

Email us, DinnerDeeAs@fox.com or message us on Facebook or Instagram.

Watch the recipe again any time by clicking the video at the top of the page, and see Dinner DeeAs every weekday at 1pm on FOX 13. 

Cannellini Beans 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced thinly
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup white wine
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 4 tbsp butter

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add sliced leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in minced garlic and chopped shallots. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add halved cherry tomatoes to pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes start to soften.
5. Pour in white wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
6. In small bowl, whisk together tahini and peanut butter until smooth. Add this mixture to pot, stirring well to combine with vegetables.
7. Stir in cannellini beans and chicken stock. Bring to simmer then reduce heat to low and let stew simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors meld.
8. Stir in butter until melted and fully incorporated into stew. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.

Chimichurri 

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 shallots, finely minced
• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and shallots.
2. Add fresh lemon juice and stir to combine.
3. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify.
4. Add red wine vinegar and whisk until well combined.
5. Season chimichurri sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Transfer sauce to jar or container with tight-fitting lid and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to meld flavors.

Chili Crunch Spinach 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
• ¼ cup white wine
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp chili crunch
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions 

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and shallots. Sauté until fragrant and shallots are translucent, 2–3 minutes.
3. Add fresh spinach leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, 2–3 minutes.
4. Pour white wine into the skillet to deglaze, simmer for 2–3 minutes.
5. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and chili crunch, stirring to incorporate.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook an additional 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Chef Jeff's Chicken Thighs 

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Boar's Head Deli Dressing (enough to coat chicken thighs)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp canola oil (for searing)

Directions

1. Pat dry chicken thighs with paper towels and place in dish or ziplock bag.
2. Pour over Boar's Head Deli Dressing to coat, then marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Remove chicken from marinade, season with salt and pepper, and add to skillet, flesh side down.
5. Sear 4–5 minutes until golden and crispy.
6. Flip and sear skin side for another 4–5 minutes until browned and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 °F. Rest chicken thighs for a few minutes before serving.

To grab more recipes from Dinner DeeAs, click here.