Good Housekeeping Chicken Winner

Browned chicken breasts braised in a chili-spiked tomato and kidney bean sauce, all baked together in one casserole. The chicken goes in skin-on, which means it gets a crispy sear in olive oil first, then slowly braises in the oven where the skin keeps the meat underneath juicy.

The sauce starts with onions (or leeks) cooked golden in butter, then a touch of flour goes in to thicken things up. Fresh red chili adds real heat with fruity pepper flavor that chili powder alone can’t deliver. Chicken stock and your favorite tomato sauce round it out into a rich, saucy base that the kidney beans soak up beautifully.

After 45 minutes in the oven, the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the beans have absorbed all that tomato-chili flavor. Serve it straight from the casserole dish with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Pro Tips

• Brown the chicken well before braising. A deep golden crust on the skin adds flavor to the whole dish and keeps its texture during the long bake.
• If using chili powder instead of a fresh chili, start with a generous pinch and taste. You can always add more, but you can’t take it back.
• Drain and rinse the canned kidney beans before adding. The canning liquid is starchy and can make the sauce murky.
• Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after pulling it from the oven. The sauce thickens as it cools slightly.

Variations

• Smoky chipotle: Replace the fresh chili with a chopped chipotle in adobo sauce for a smoky, deeply warm heat.
• Black bean version: Swap kidney beans for black beans and add cumin for a more Southwestern profile.
• Leek and white bean: Use leeks instead of onions and cannellini beans for a milder, more refined take.