How to Cook Collard Greens with Chicken Broth
See how to cook collard greens with chicken broth. If you love southern-style collard greens but have been unsure about the best way to make them, no more worries. This easy collard greens recipe only requires a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time.
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Southern Collard Greens Recipe Ingredients
To make these southern style collard greens you only need a few things. Often, we see that recipes can be complicated with too many ingredients, and we like to keep things simple. This is all you will need:
- 8 oz pkg bacon
- 16 oz fresh collard greens
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Clean Collard Greens
First, make sure to clean the collards. You can clean collards in a clean sink with cold water or over a large bowl with a colander. Make sure to rinse well to remove any dirt and grit. We like to use this produce wash to clean our fruit and vegetables. You can find it online here: produce wash.
How to Trim Collard Greens
Next, you will need to decide whether or not to keep the tough stems of the collard greens. The thick stems of these leafy greens are tough but filled with nutrients. Some like to leave them in the recipe while others prefer to trim them out. This comes down to personal preference. For the sake of this easy recipe, we will be trimming and removing the center stem from the dark green leaves.
Lay the large leaves flat on a cutting board, one at a time, and use a sharp knife to cut alongside the stem on each side.
Pull the stem up and out to remove it from the center of each leaf. Then fold one side of the leaf over the other side.
Next, we like to roll the hearty leaf up.
Then slice down the center of the rolled leaf longways.
Lastly, chop the rest of the collard green leaf into small pieces.
Do this for each collard leaf and set aside in a clean bowl.
Now that the collard greens are trimmed and chopped, go ahead and also cut up the bacon. The ingredients are ready to get started.
Cooking Collard Greens with Chicken Broth and Bacon
First, cook the chopped bacon in a large pot, over medium heat until all fat is rendered. Many southern collard green recipes use ham hocks, which is a great option. We find that bacon tends to be easy to find and just as delicious. You can use smoked ham hock or bacon if you’d like.
Then remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside on a few paper towels.
Leave the bacon grease in the pot.
Next, add the chopped savory collard greens to the pot with the bacon fat, and continue to cook on medium-high heat.
Stir until the collards are slightly wilted and coated in the bacon grease. The bacon dripping is what adds to the amazing flavor of the recipe.
Then add the chicken stock to the pot.
Add the apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
Reduce the heat and simmer the delicious collard greens for an hour. Keep the collards covered for the first 50 minutes, and uncover them for the last 10 minutes.
Collard Greens Cooked with Chicken Broth
When it’s time to serve the best southern collard greens go ahead and stir the bacon into the pot. If you keep them in the pot the entire time, they may become soft. By adding the bacon at the end they maintain their hard crisp bacon texture. The salty bacon pairs perfectly with the classic collard greens bitter taste.
What To Eat with Collard Greens Cooked with Chicken Broth and Bacon
This authentic Southern collard greens recipe is an easy side dish that is quite versatile. It’s one of our favorite recipes to eat with sausage, cornbread, and potato salad.
Collard greens traditionally pair well with black-eyed peas and can be eaten as is, or topped with hot sauce.
Leftover collard greens can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
How to Cook Collard Greens with Chicken Broth
See how to cook collard greens with chicken broth and bacon for the best southern collard greens.
Ingredients
- 8 oz pkg bacon
- 16 oz fresh collard greens
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Wash, trim, and chop collard greens.
- Cut up bacon and cook bacon in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels.
- Leave bacon grease in pot and add chopped collard greens to the pot.
- Stir, then add chicken broth, AVC, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.
- Lower heat, and simmer for 50 minutes covered.
- Remove cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Before serving add cooked bacon back to the pot with cooked collards.
- Enjoy.
Notes
Store leftover collard greens in an airtight container for 3-5 days in refrigerator.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 224Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 1013mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 17g
Amazing, wow, thanks for sharing this wonderful veggie with the bacon, Pinned it as I MUST make this soon.
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I’ve never really thought of collard greens as tasty before, but I think this recipe may have changed my mind! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Whimsy Home Wednesday!