Chicken & Sausage Stew

Today our never ending quest for new and great chicken recipes bring us to the world of stews. Not only are stews generally simple, one pot recipes, but they can also be made with a vast variety of ingredients…including of course the humble chicken. You can use just about any cut of chicken you’d like (I use thighs as dark meat will have a bit more flavor) and to jazz up the flavor a bit, I’m adding some sausage – again you can use just about any kind you’d like (even chicken).  Serve it over some rice, and you’re going to love it.  Enjoy!

Keys to making the best Chicken & Sausage Stew

1. You gotta start with a roux and make sure you develop it to nice dark color. Admittedly it takes a bit of time, but it really is the best way to get the best consistency and color to the stew.
2. Don’t overcook the chicken.  Unlike beef, which could go for hours over low heat, the chicken will dry out, so you’ll only need to simmer for a couple hours max.
3. Make sure to use some good, flavorful sausage – it brings most of the flavor to the stew – fortunately a little goes a long way.

Ingredients for Chicken & Sausage Stew

• 5 – 6 chicken thighs
• ~2 cups chopped sausage pieces
• 4 tablespoons flour
• Olive oil
• 2 onions – chopped into small pieces
• 1 green pepper – chopped into small pieces
• 2 – 3 celery stalks – chopped into small pieces
• 1 carrot chopped into small pieces
• 3 garlic cloves chopped
• 14 ounce can of chopped tomato
• 2 quarts of chicken stock
• A pinch of Thyme
• Worcestershire Sauce

How to Make Chicken and Sausage Stew (for about 10)

• Start by adding 4 tablespoons of olive oil & 4 tablespoons of flour to a medium size pan over low heat
• Stir to combine and cook over low – medium heat for about 45minutes to an hour stirring every 5 - 10 minutes.
• The roux will slowly turn from tan to light brown to darker brown; make sure to control the heat to prevent burning
• You can make the roux up to a day ahead of time
• Cut the chicken thighs into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper
• Heat your stew pot over high heat, coat the bottom with olive oil and add the chicken pieces
• Allow the chicken to brown quickly over high heat (don’t turn too often as that prevents browning)
• After the chicken is browned, add the chopped sausage and continue to cook over high heat for 7 – 10 minutes until the sausage is also slightly browned
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat, leaving the drippings and hold the meat aside in a bowl
• Add all the chopped vegetables, season with salt and pepper, tossing it all in the pan
• Continue to cook the vegetables until the onions become translucent and soften which will take about 10 – 15 minutes
• Add the can of tomatoes and continue to cook for another 5 – 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the roux to the vegetables, and stir together, it will immediately start to thicken on contact.
• Add the first quart of chicken stock to the pot and stir together, then add the meat back to the pot
• Slowly bring to a simmer, as it heats it will continue to thicken from the roux
• If it’s too thick, add more of the chicken stock; if the stew is too thin, you can make some more roux, and mix it in
• Add the thyme and a drizzle of worcestershire sauce
• Allow the stew to gently simmer for about 45 more minutes
• Taste, adjust the salt and pepper if needed and you’re good to go.
• I love to serve mine with some rice, and garnish with bit of chopped green onion.
• Enjoy!