Easy Chicken Stewed Louisiana Style (Print Version)

Tender chicken in savory tomato sauce with Creole seasonings and vegetables, ready in one hour.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or drumsticks
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano

→ Liquids

14 - 2 cups chicken broth
15 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
16 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
17 - 1 tsp hot sauce

→ To Serve

18 - Cooked white rice
19 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make:

01 - Rub chicken thighs and drumsticks thoroughly with salt and black pepper, ensuring even coverage on all pieces.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken pieces and sear until golden brown on all sides, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
05 - Add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Pour in diced tomatoes with their juices and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine all seasonings.
06 - Return browned chicken to the pot. Pour in chicken broth and bring mixture to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
07 - Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and tender when pierced with a fork.
08 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or hot sauce as desired.
09 - Ladle hot stew over serving plates of cooked white rice. Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its the kind of forgiving one pot meal that lets you start it and forget it while it bubbles away happily on the stove
  • The tomato based gravy is so good youll want to spoon it over everything including rice bread and honestly straight from the pot
  • It feeds a crowd easily but somehow tastes even better the next day which is the ultimate comfort food win
02 -
  • Don't rush the browning step those caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot dissolve into the sauce and create the deep rich flavor that makes this stew special
  • The sauce will look thin at first but give it time it thickens beautifully as it simmers and the collagen from the chicken breaks down
  • Boneless chicken works but reduce the simmer time to 25 to 30 minutes or the meat will dry out completely
03 -
  • Make this a day ahead if possible the flavors develop and deepen overnight in the refrigerator
  • If the sauce is too thin for your liking remove the lid for the last 10 minutes of simmering to let it reduce

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