Amici, foodisti and lovers of the Bella Sun Luci good life…

Fall has officially fallen! Each season brings its own unique culinary treasures and I love fall for its persimmons, pomegranates, and citrus. I eat 50 pounds of tangerines every autumn-winter in addition to oranges, blood oranges, tangelos, and grapefruits. I loooove citrus. My taste buds AND my body tell me I do.

And so I love love love love this favoloso dish from home chef Arlene Erlbach, this month’s Bella Sun Luci recipe contest honorable mention. Chef Arlene, Congratulations! You’ll be receiving a Bella Sun Luci deluxe gift box full of fine foods so you can make up a new recipe, or spruce up an old one, enter it into this year’s contest and hopefully, in 2019, WIN the GRAND PRIZE!

Chef Arlene’s Sun Dried Tomato, Honey, Herb Chicken with Kale and White Beans could also be called Orange Chicken. This hearty, nutritious, well balanced and super flavorful dish might have actually won the contest, but the taste panel thought the orange flavor was a bit too strong. So, dear reader, when you go to cook this up in your kitchen, and I strongly suggest you do, you may want to cut back a little on the zest or the juice. I also suggest, if you like, you use tangerine instead of orange. Like I said before, in so many words, I go crrrazyyy for tangerines. 

Now, everybody, please…get cooking, send in your Bella Sun Luci sun dried tomato enriched recipe (the deadline is July 1…and keep your eyes open for our new Chipotle-Sun Dried Tomato Topper…use THAT in your recipe!), buon appetito, happy autunno (autumn), happy Halloween and arrivederci. Until we meet again.

Con amore,

Chef Richie

Recipe 

• 1 (8.5 ounce) jar Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Julienne cut tomatoes in olive oil with Italian herbs
• ⅓ cup fresh basil – coarsely chopped + (chopped basil for garnish optional)
• ⅓ cup honey
• ¾ cup white dry wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 orange peeled, seeded and chopped into small segments
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons Bella Sun Luci Extra Virgin Olive 
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (14 to 15 ounce) can of Cannellini beans 
• 3 cups Tuscan kale –stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 4 large bone in skin on chicken thighs
• Water if needed

Instructions 

1. Combine tomatoes, honey, basil, white wine, tomato paste, orange juice, orange segments and orange zest, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a 3½ – 4 quart Dutch oven or deep skillet on medium high heat until hot. 
3. Add garlic and chicken to skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once until chicken is browned.
4. Add tomato mixture to chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Cook covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove cover, add beans and kale. Add water, additional wine or orange juice if needed to thin sauce, if desired, according to taste. Cook until kale is wilted and beans are heated.

Serve warm. Garnish with basil if desired.