Chicken Stew

Servings

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients

1½ cups canola oil
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
5 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic®
2 cups onions, diced
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 cup celery, diced
7 cups chicken stock
3 whole bay leaves
8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Pepper Sauce®

How To Prepare

First you make a roux. We start by heating 1¼ cups of oil in a cast iron pan or pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, whisk in the flour until all lumps are dissolved. At this point, you can switch to a wooden spoon with a flat tip to continue making the roux. Keep an eye on the heat, and if at any point you think it's too high, or the roux is cooking too fast, just lower it - but never stop stirring! When the roux reaches a deep chocolate brown, add 1 cup of the onions, 1/2 cup of the bell peppers and 1/2 cup of the celery. Stir well to incorporate into the roux. Turn the fire off and let the heat of the roux and the pan continue to cook the vegetables. Set the pan aside for later use.

In a mixing bowl, toss the chicken thighs with 2 Tbsp of the Poultry Magic®and let sit for 15 minutes. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat and add the chicken thighs, cooking until browned on both sides (you may have to work in batches). Remove thighs and drain all but one tablespoon of the oil from the pot. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the stock, stir and cover. Stir every couple of minutes until the liquid has evaporated, then add another 1/2 cup of stock and 1 Tbsp of Poultry Magic®. Stir, cover and cook until the liquid has evaporated again. Add the rest of the stock, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and remaining Poultry Magic®. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Whisk in the roux mixture 1/2 cup at a time, making sure each addition of the roux is completely mixed in before adding any more. Once all the roux has been added, dice the chicken and add back to the pot. Bring stew back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for 1½ hours, then remove bay leaves and thyme stems. Using tongs or another spoon or fork, shred any whole pieces of chicken thighs, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Stir in the granulated garlic, salt, Worcestershire sauce and Magic Pepper Sauce®. Skim any fat that rises to the surface then serve hot over rice.

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