Lately, Randall has been nudging hints that he’s been craving Brunswick Stew, and when we saw an old episode of Paula’s Home Cooking on GAC and she was making a version, I knew that it was time to give in for his’ sake.

Going back a few years ago, and I was one of the multitudes who had never heard of the stuff, until Randall first started talking about it. I decided a few years ago to surprise him and make some for him, but wanted to do a little looking into the dish first, especially when I saw just how different some of the recipes online really were. Two areas in the US claim to be the birthplace of Brunswick Stew – Brunswick, Georgia (which is less than an hour from us), and Brunswick County, Virginia. The main difference in the styles of stews is the Virginia variety adds lima beans, so its a little more like a succotash soup, which didn’t sound every appealing to me, but really got Randall’s nose wrinkled up, being a born and raised Georgian.

I wasn’t too crazy about the version I made then, but this one is one I could get behind! I went with a Carolina vinegar based barbecue sauce and added the vinegar like Paula, but omitted the extra sugar, feeling that the sauce, the ketchup and the tomatoes, not to mention the corn had enough sweetness to it, and it turned it into a more sweet and sour soup with a nice spicy kick.

The chicken breast keeps it lower in calories and fat than a traditional Brunswick Stew, which has ground beef, ground pork and chicken or turkey in it.  It’s so low in calories, in fact, that the serving size I chose is a hearty two cups for a nice big bowl of comfort that is sure to make quick work of the tummy grumblies.

I made mine even easier for our busy weekend by making it in the slow cooker, but its totally stove top doable, and would be done that much faster if you’re looking for a quick solution for dinner. If you enjoy the flavors of classic barbecue, chances are you’ll love this stew, even if you’re like me and just being introduced to it!

adapted from Paula Deen