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Chicken and White Bean Cassoulet

6 servings

• 1 cup dry Great Northern beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium fennel bulbs (about the size of a lemon), each cut into 8 narrow wedges
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 narrow wedges
• 2 bone-in chicken breast halves, about 11/2 pounds total
• 1 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut in thin strips
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 (141/2-ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Rinse beans and pick over; place in large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow to stand overnight. Drain and place in saucepan. Add cold water to cover; heat to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid over medium high heat. Add fennel and red onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside. Add chicken to pan, skin side down and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Turn and brown on second side, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken and drain.

In Dutch oven, combine beans, vegetables, tomatoes and garlic in pan. Place chicken on top. Add remaining ingredients, except orange juice and parsley. Cover and bake at 350 degrees 30 to 45 minutes or until chicken reaches 180 degrees and beans are tender. Remove chicken and discard skin; slice meat and return to beans. Stir in orange juice and parsley.

Chicken breast is lean, (however an option is to use sausages, pork and preserved duck or goose), especially when the skin is removed. But we recommend starting with bone-in breast halves with skin because anything cooked with bone and skin will render a richer flavor.

Tempted to substitute canned beans for the dry? Convenience comes at a cost, in this case excess sodium. While the fiber content is the same, canned beans that have been rinsed still contain more sodium than dry. Soaking beans isn't difficult; it simply requires planning.

Per serving: 395 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 53 mg cholesterol, 52 g carbohydrates, 38 g protein, 753 mg sodium, 14 g dietary fiber.

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