My aunt made this every Sunday because it fed the whole family for pennies. One bite and you understand why it survived generations
Variations & Tips
To keep the spirit of a true Depression-era recipe, the goal is to work with what you already have. You can swap bone-in chicken thighs for drumsticks or a mix of light and dark meat, but stick with bone-in pieces for the richest broth.
If you only have canned lima beans, add them during the last 1–1 1/2 hours of cooking instead of at the beginning, and cut the liquid back to about 4 cups so the broth doesn’t get too thin. For extra flavor without adding more ingredients, brown the chicken in a skillet first to develop some color before adding it to the slow cooker, or toss a whole peeled onion in with the beans if you have one that needs to be used up.
To stretch the meal even further, stir in 1–2 cups of cooked rice or small pasta at the end, thinning with extra broth or water as needed. For a creamier texture, lightly mash some of the lima beans against the side of the slow cooker before stirring the chicken back in.
Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed chicken; avoid using frozen chicken directly in the slow cooker because it can stay in the temperature “danger zone” (40°F–140°F) too long. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F before serving. Cool leftovers within 2 hours, store them in shallow containers in the refrigerator, and eat within 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through before eating.
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