Recipe: Cajun Chicken with Pecan Stuffing Balls and Gravy (freeze ahead)

CAJUN CHICKEN WITH PECAN STUFFING BALLS

1 large onion, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 rib celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 to 4 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning (to taste)
4 large (about 6 oz each) chicken breast halves boned and skinned
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (6 oz) package corn bread stuffing mix
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan and a small cookie sheet.

In the baking pan, combine onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning blend.

Drizzle chicken evenly with olive oil and sprinkle on both sides with salt and as much of the remaining Cajun seasoning as you like. Place 2 seasoned chicken breasts on the vegetables in the baking pan.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, prepare stuffing mix according to package directions and stir in pecans. Form into 12 balls. Place 6 balls on the cookie sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Transfer the cooked chicken and stuffing balls to a platter and keep warm. (Do not wash the baking pan.)

In a small saucepan, whisk together broth and flour until blended. Place the saucepan over low heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until it thickens into a gravy.

Add the gravy to the pan in which the chicken was cooked and stir to loosen the vegetables and browned-on bits. Return the gravy to the saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat.

FOR THE FIRST MEAL:
Serve half the gravy with the cooked chicken and stuffing balls.

FREEZING:
Transfer the remaining gravy to a freezer container and let cool up to 2 hours; cover tightly. Separately wrap the 2 uncooked seasoned chicken breasts and 6 stuffing balls. Label and freeze everything up to 3 months.

REHEATING:
Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap the frozen chicken breasts and place them in a greased 8" square baking pan. Cover the pan loosely with foil. Bake the chicken 40-45 minutes, or until no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile arrange the frozen stuffing balls on a small, lightly greased cookie sheet and cover them loosely with foil. When the chicken has baked 20 minutes, place the stuffing balls in the oven wit the chicken and bake both 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.

Transfer the frozen gravy to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring often. (Or place frozen gravy in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high 5 minutes, stirring often.) Serve the gravy with the chicken and stuffing balls.

Servings: 4
Source: Mr. Food's Easy Cooking, March/April 2000