Ingredients:

  • 6 oz thick-cut smoked bacon, diced
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 lb black-eyed peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 6 cups chicken bone broth
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice, warm
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions:

  1. Place the diced bacon in a cold Dutch oven. Turn heat to medium and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy and mahogany-colored. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  2. Add the diced onion, green bell pepper, and celery to the bacon fat. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until vegetables are translucent. Stir in the garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaves; cook for 60 seconds until aromatic.
  3. Add the black-eyed peas, chicken bone broth, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until the beans are tender but not mushy.
  4. Discard the bay leaves. Fold the reserved crispy bacon back into the pot. Serve the bean mixture over warm cooked white rice and garnish with sliced green onions and optional hot sauce.