Shelly's Recipe

NEW ORLEANS STYLE CHICKEN STEW

Category: Stews

1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
3 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 drops hot sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 lb kielbasa or other garlic sausage, diced

In a plastic bag, combine flour and spices, shaking to mix. Add chicken; shake to coat lightly. Remove chicken and reserve excess flour mixture.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter in the oil. Add the chicken; cook until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Remove to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.

Add remaining butter to the skillet and heat until melted. Add garlic and reserved dredging mixture. Cook, stirring, until flour is no longer visible, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juice, chicken broth, vegetables, pepper sauce and bay leaf; bring to a boil over medium-heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 125 minutes.

Return the stew to a boil over medium-high heat. Return the chicken and any juices accumulated on the plate to the skillet along with the sausage and heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serves 4