Zuppa Toscana with Chicken Sausage

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water
  • 1/4 cup Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
  • 1 (16 oz. package) Miller Poultry Chicken Sausages, sliced 1/4″ thick at an angle
  • 10 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and snip into 1/2″ pieces
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 (8 oz.) container sliced fresh cremini mushrooms
  • 2 lbs. red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into chunks
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp. white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. Herbs de Provence
  • 1 tsp. hot crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • 1 bunch fresh kale leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Prep Time: 30 minutes    Cook Time: 4 hours

Cooking Instructions

  • In a large crockpot, heat water on high, and stir in 1/4 cup bouillon until dissolved.
  • With crockpot still on high, combine sliced sausage, bacon, onion, mushrooms, red potatoes, garlic, thyme, pepper, Herbs de Provence, red pepper flakes, butter and bay leaves. Gently stir to combine ingredients. Cover with lid and cook 4 hours (or low for 6 hours).
  • Remove bay leaves, and add kale.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, flour and parmesan cheese until well blended. Gently stir into crockpot.
  • Continue cooking on high for another 30-45 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring gently every 15 minutes.
  • Garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water
  • 1/4 cup Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
  • 1 (16 oz. package) Miller Poultry Chicken Sausages, sliced 1/4″ thick at an angle
  • 10 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and snip into 1/2″ pieces
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 (8 oz.) container sliced fresh cremini mushrooms
  • 2 lbs. red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into chunks
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp. white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. Herbs de Provence
  • 1 tsp. hot crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • 1 bunch fresh kale leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Prep Time: 30 min   Cook Time: 4 hours

Cooking Instructions

    • In a large crockpot, heat water on high, and stir in 1/4 cup bouillon until dissolved.
    • With crockpot still on high, combine sliced sausage, bacon, onion, mushrooms, red potatoes, garlic, thyme, pepper, Herbs de Provence, red pepper flakes, butter and bay leaves. Gently stir to combine ingredients. Cover with lid and cook 4 hours (or low for 6 hours).
    • Remove bay leaves, and add kale.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, flour and parmesan cheese until well blended. Gently stir into crockpot.
    • Continue cooking on high for another 30-45 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring gently every 15 minutes.
    • Garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Handling & Preparation

Cooking Tips

Buying
    • When purchasing any chicken, be sure to pick it up at the end of your shopping experience.
    • Use a plastic bag, often found just a few feet away, to pickup and transport the chicken. This will protect other items in your cart.
    • Try to head straight home to keep the chicken cold and place in your refrigerator right away.
    • Look for product that is still within the use by date
    • When purchasing larger quantities, what you do not use within two days, portion and freeze quickly for a later date.

Handling
    • Always store chicken below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Above 40F, bacteria begin to grow and will spoil the chicken.
    • Use any chicken within two days of purchase.
    • When preparing
      • Use a paper towel to pat dry any chicken. Do not wash in the sink as it will spread bacteria to your sink.
      • Use dedicated meat and poultry cutting surfaces and utensils to avoid cross contamination
      • Wash all surfaces after handling raw chicken but before handling cooked to avoid contamination
    • Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees fahrenheit for boneless items and 180 degrees Fahrenheit for bone-in items.

For more tips, do’s and don’ts please visit:
Chicken Pieces
Description
Internal Thermometer Temperate Approximate Cooking Time
(Per Pound) at 350°F
Bone-In
Leg Quarters
Thighs
Breast/Split Breast
170°F 15-20 minutes
15-20 minutes
20-25 minutes
Boneless
Thighs
Breast/Split Breast
Tender Strips
165°F 10-15 minutes
15-20 minutes
10 minutes
 Whole Chicken
Fryer/Broiler 3-4 lbs
Roaster 5-7 lbs
 180°F  1 – ½ hours
1 ½ – 2 ¼ hours

Handling & Preparation

Cooking Tips

Buying
    • When purchasing any chicken, be sure to pick it up at the end of your shopping experience.
    • Use a plastic bag, often found just a few feet away, to pickup and transport the chicken. This will protect other items in your cart.
    • Try to head straight home to keep the chicken cold and place in your refrigerator right away.
    • Look for product that is still within the use by date
    • When purchasing larger quantities, what you do not use within two days, portion and freeze quickly for a later date.

Handling
    • Always store chicken below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Above 40F, bacteria begin to grow and will spoil the chicken.
    • Use any chicken within two days of purchase.
    • When preparing
      • Use a paper towel to pat dry any chicken. Do not wash in the sink as it will spread bacteria to your sink.
      • Use dedicated meat and poultry cutting surfaces and utensils to avoid cross contamination
      • Wash all surfaces after handling raw chicken but before handling cooked to avoid contamination
    • Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees fahrenheit for boneless items and 180 degrees Fahrenheit for bone-in items.

For more tips, do’s and don’ts please visit:

Bone-In Chicken:

Cook at 350ºF until internal thermometer temperature of chicken is 170ºF

  • Leg quarters – 15-20 minutes per pound
  • Thighs – 15-20 minutes per pound
  • Breast/Split Breast – 20-25 minutes per pound

Boneless Chicken:

Cook at 350ºF until internal thermometer temperature of chicken is 165ºF

  • Thighs – 10-15 minutes per pound
  • Breast/Split Breast – 15-20 minutes per pound
  • Tender Strips – 10 minutes per pound

Whole Chicken:

Cook at 350ºF until internal thermometer temperature of chicken is 180ºF

  • Fryer/Boiler 3-4 lbs – 1.5 hours per pound
  • Roaster 5-7 lbs – 1.5-2.25 hours per pound