Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice with Chicken Sausage

This main-dish recipe, Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice with Chicken Sausage, leans on diced yellow or white onion, green bell pepper and coarse kosher salt. It makes 8 servings and takes about 310 minutes.

• Yield 8 servings
• Ready in 310 minutes
• Prep 10 minutes
• Cook 300 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced yellow or white onion
• 1 medium green bell pepper (diced)
• 4 cans (15-ounces each) kidney beans (undrained)
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarse or freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2-3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa or chicken sausage (sliced)
• Hot cooked brown rice, white rice or quinoa for serving

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients except the kielbasa/sausage in a medium slow cooker and give it a good stir. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Add the sausage and cook until warmed through (anywhere from 20 minutes to another hour).
2. Add additional salt to taste before serving. Serve over hot, cooked rice (white or brown) or quinoa.

Give it a minute off the heat, then serve it while it is still hot.