Chicken Red Beans Slow Cooker Meal

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried Kidney beans – soaked in water over night
• 2 chicken leg quarters
• 1 large onion – diced
• 2 large shallots – diced
• 12 oz Applewood Smoked Bacon cut into lardons
• 6 garlic cloves – minced
• 10 oz crimini mushrooms – sliced
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leafs
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• salt and pepper
• bag Tuscan Kale

1. Drain beans from water and place in slow cooker pot.
2. Place bacon in a cold cast iron skillet, set heat to high and render the fat out of the lardons. Remove cooked lardons from pan and drain on a paper towel.
3. In the bacon grease cook the onion and shallots – about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Place the cooked bacon, onions and shallots into the slow cooker pot. Add the mushrooms, spices, herbs and garlic to the pot.
5. Salt and Pepper the chicken and brown in the cast iron skillet on both side. Add the browned chicken to the pot. Add the vegetable broth to the pot.
6. Cover and cook on high for about 5 hours. Remove thyme sprigs, add in kale to wilt.