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Skillet Slow Cooker Chicken Sausage and Cannellini Bean Stew, high protein dinner recipes easy
Brittany Stage

Slow Cooker Chicken Sausage and Cannellini Bean Stew

Sliced chicken sausage, creamy cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and fresh spinach simmer low and slow in a savory Italian-seasoned broth. It is the kind of hearty, protein-rich dinner that is waiting for you when you walk through the door.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lb chicken sausage links fully cooked, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 28 oz, with juices
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for a little heat
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 3 cups baby spinach loosely packed, added at the end
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 piece Parmesan rind optional but adds great depth

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • 6-quart slow cooker
  • wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage in a single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until the cut edges are nicely browned. You are not cooking them through, just building color and flavor on the surface. Remove from heat.
  2. Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. This step adds a lot of flavor to the base of the stew.
  3. Transfer the browned sausage, onion and garlic mixture, drained cannellini beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and chicken broth into the slow cooker. Stir in the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Nestle in the Parmesan rind if using.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The stew is ready when the broth is rich and slightly thickened and the beans are very tender.
  5. About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the baby spinach. Put the lid back on and let it wilt for 5 to 10 minutes. Fish out and discard the Parmesan rind if you used one.
  6. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread for soaking up the broth. A light sprinkle of grated Parmesan on top is a nice finishing touch.

Notes

Leftovers keep well and the flavor improves overnight. If you prefer a thicker stew, mash about 1/2 cup of the beans against the side of the slow cooker with the back of a spoon before stirring in the spinach.