Freezer Brunswick-Style Chicken Stew

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A big pot of smoky, tangy Southern chicken stew built to live in the freezer. Shredded thighs simmer in tomato, barbecue sauce and a splash of cider vinegar with corn and lima beans — no dairy, no flour and no potatoes, so it thaws and reheats exactly as good as the day you made it. One evening of easy work gets you four dinners.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups frozen lima beans
• salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until soft and golden at the edges, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Stir in the smoked paprika and cook 30 seconds, then add the chicken thighs, crushed tomatoes, broth, barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Season with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and bring to a simmer.
3. Cover partly and simmer gently over low heat for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so nothing catches on the bottom. The chicken should pull apart easily with a fork.
4. Lift the chicken onto a board, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. Add the frozen corn and lima beans and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the stew has thickened enough to coat a spoon.
5. Stir in the cider vinegar off the heat and taste for salt — freezing dulls seasoning slightly, so season a touch bolder than you would for serving tonight.
6. To freeze, cool the stew uncovered for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until completely cold (about 2 hours). Ladle into freezer bags or airtight containers in 2-serving portions, press flat, leave 1 inch of headspace, label and freeze up to 3 months.
7. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a saucepan over medium-low, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until steaming hot (165°F). From frozen: add the block to a pot with 2 tablespoons water, cover and heat over low for 20 to 25 minutes, breaking it up as it loosens. Microwave portions covered on high for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring halfway.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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