Legume My Shepherd's Pie

We always have a hard time incorporating legumes into our meals. By altering an old-time favorite, I came up with a legume-rich and delicious dish. It was a huge hit with the family.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 707 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup milk
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 (16 ounce) package dried lima beans

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place the lima beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse.

Step 2

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Drain the soaked lima beans and cook according to package directions.

Step 3

Blend the cooked lima beans and milk together in a blender until smooth; season with salt. Set aside.

Step 4

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the onion in the hot oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes more. Stir the zucchini, tomato, cumin, and cayenne pepper into the chicken; cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 7 minutes more. Spread the mixture into the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking dish; pour the lima bean mixture over the chicken and vegetables in a single, smooth layer. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until the top is browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.