Chirpy's Louisiana Chicken Creole

A great weeknight dinner that can take 1 hour start to finish.

Using the Fresh Vegetables that make up the Trinity of Cajun cooking, Celery, Onions, and Bell Peppers are the basis for this Creole Dish. Chicken thighs and legs are seared, then immersed into the brothy vegetables, herbs, and spices to cook until tender and juicy. A simple one pot dish.

Serve with steamed rice and you are in Cajun food heaven. This and all creole dishes can have alot of heat or just a little, it's your dish, make it with the amount of heat as you like.

Chirpy's Louisiana Chicken Creole

Serves 3 - 4

• 3 ea. Chicken Thighs and Legs

• 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

• 1 lg. Sweet Onion

• 4 ea. Green Bell Peppers

• 2 ea. Celery Stalks

• 4 ea. Plum Tomatoes

• 1 Cup Crushed Tomatoes

• 1 Cup Chicken Stock

• 1/2 tsp. Salt

• 1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano

• 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil

• 3 ea. Bay Leaves

• 1 Tbsp. Gumbo File' (Ground Sassafrass Leaves)
  

1. Cut the vegetables 1st. Slice the onion into 1/2 in. slices. Cut the top of the bell pepper off and remove the seeds. Cut the pepper into 1 in. chunks. Slice the celery into 1/4 inch slices. Place onion, peppers, and celery on a plate, set aside. Cut the plum tomatoes into small dice and set aside in a cup or bowl. Peel then slice the garlic into thin slices, set aside.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a large deep saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat.

4. Add the chicken and begin to sear until browned. Turn chicken every few minutes to brown different sides, cook about 10 minutes total.

5. Once chicken is nice and browned all over, remove from the pan.

6. Add the olive oil into the pan, then the onions, bell peppers and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring often.

7. Add the garlic and stir in.

8. Add the plum tomatoes and stir together. Cook for another 4 minutes.

9. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, salt and pepper, the dried basil and oregano and 3 bay leaves, stir together and bring heat to med hi. Let sauce come to a low boil, and cook 5 min.

10. Add the chicken pieces into the pan, submerging into the sauce. Turn down heat to medium and let simmer for another 50 minutes.

11. Remove the chicken, check that is is completely cooked, and turn the heat down on the sauce.

12. Add the Gumbo File' on low heat and stir into the sauce. Romove the Bay Leaves.

13. Place the chicken back into the pan and coat with the sauce. Remove from the heat.

14. Serve with steamed rice. Chirpy loves Jasmine or Basmati.

Prepare the steamed rice once you get the chicken cooking for the 50 minutes. The rice will take 20 to 25 minutes.

Steamed Rice

• 3 1/2 Cups Jasmine or Basmati Rice

• 4 1/2 Cups Water

1. In a bowl rinse the rice with water and drain.

2. Place rice in a 2 quart sauce pot with lid.

3. Add the water and place on a medium heat stove.

4. When water begins to slow bowl, turn heat down to low, place lid on rice and cook for about 20 minutes. Check the rice, it should be steamy but not wet at the bottom of the pan and firm texture but not crunchy. Remove both pans from the heat and serve.