Recipe: New Orleans-Style Chicken Stew (using chicken breasts, kielbasa and stewed tomatoes)

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE CHICKEN STEW

6 to 8 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into pieces
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. butter, divided use
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed through a press
1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 drops hot pepper sauce or more
1 bay leaf
1/4 lb. kielbasa or other precooked garlic sausage, diced

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

In a large skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of the butter in the oil over medium high heat until the butter is melted. Add the chicken and cook until it is browned all over, about 7 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and heat until melted. Add the garlic and the reserved dredging mixture. Cook, stirring, until the flour is no longer visible, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and their juice, the chicken broth, scallions, celery, bell pepper, hot pepper sauce and bay leaf, and bring to a boil over medium-heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

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

Makes 4 servings
Source: alt.food.cajun/M. LaFleur, 2002