This traditional stewed chicken dish begins with a browned, cut up chicken, that is slow cooked in a roux based gravy.
Southern Stewed Chicken
This is another form of what we refer to in the south as smothered chicken, beginning with the searing of cut up chicken, then a roux-based gravy is prepared, to which the chicken is returned and slow simmered.
It's somewhat similar to Chicken Fricassee, a smothered chicken and gravy dish, except that the chicken is not floured before frying.
It's a simple southern dish created with layers of flavor and that's one reason that it's so good!
If you've arrived here from a Google search for Chicken Stew, stewed chicken is a bit different from what I'm guessing that you were looking for. I have two versions of chicken stew to offer to you.
One is a super easy, fast to the table, shortcut version using cream soups to speed things up, and the other is the longer, homemade, stewed version made from stewing down a whole chicken. Both are delicious!
Here's how to make my slow stewed, smothered chicken!
Heat oil over medium high heat in a cast iron or heavy bottomed Dutch oven.
Season chicken on both sides with the salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. I'm using a whole chicken that I cut up myself. Besides being more economical, and more likely to be on sale most often, unlike already cut up chickens sold in the grocery store, they aren't exported solely for the cutting up process. Honestly, I will never understand why our country does that.
Season chicken on both sides with the salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. I'm using a whole chicken that I cut up myself. Besides being more economical, and more likely to be on sale most often, unlike already cut up chickens sold in the grocery store, they aren't exported solely for the cutting up process. Honestly, I will never understand why our country does that.
Cooking in batches, brown the chicken on all sides; remove and set aside.
Add oil to the pan drippings, if needed, to equal 1/2 cup total and heat over medium high heat, slowly whisking in the flour a little at a time.
Cook until flour is incorporated, and no lumps remain, stirring regularly, for 4 minutes and scraping up the fond on the bottom of the pot.
Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 minutes.
Begin adding in warmed broth or plain water about a cup at a time.
Constantly whisking it in until well incorporated and blended in
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low simmer, return the chicken to the pot and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
Add the chopped garlic and hot sauce and let cook another 30 minutes. Taste for seasonings and add additional salt, pepper and Creole or Cajun seasoning as needed.
To thicken the gravy further, skim excess fat from the top and discard. Prepare a slurry of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with just enough water to dissolve. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Bring drippings up to a boil, slowly stirring in the slurry. Boil, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened to desired consistency.
Serve over hot rice or mashed potatoes, with a non-starchy green vegetable such as broccoli, a salad, green beans or Brussels sprouts.
For more of my favorite chicken recipes, check out my page on Pinterest!
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