New Orleans Chicken Etouffee Recipe

Yes it has a fancy sounding name but chicken etouffee is simply a spicy chicken in a yummy gravy-like sauce. It takes a little while to make but is fairly easy. You can keep any left over's for up to three days and re-heat. Some people think it is better a day or two later.

Ingredients

* 6 of your favorite pieces of fryer chicken
* Cayenne pepper, to taste
* salt and black pepper, to taste
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (for browning chicken)
* 6 tablespoons vegetable oil (for roux)
* 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup celery, diced
* 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
* 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
* 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* dash liquid smoke
* paprika and or hot sauce, to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Season chicken pieces to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.

3. Put chicken in pot and cook on both sides to a golden brown, turning the pieces occasionally.

4. Remove chicken and set aside.

5. For roux: Add 6 tablespoons oil to any oil remaining in pot and heat till bubbly. Add 1/2 cup flour and stir until a light brown paste forms. If too oily, add more flour. If too dry, add oil.

6. Add onion, celery and bell pepper and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

8. Add vegetable or chicken stock , sugar, lemon juice and liquid smoke. Take care with liquid smoke...it can be overpowering.

9. Brink mix back to a boil and add chicken. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is "falling off the bone" tender.

10. Remove chicken from pot and strip chicken meat from bones. Return chicken meat to pot, add paprika and hot sauce if desired, to taste.

11. Simmer another 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Taste and add seasoning if needed.
Serve with rice.

Notes:
If liquid in pot gets low, add stock or water as needed. You should end up with at least 2 cups of sauce.

The roux is what thickens the sauce. If sauce is too thin at the end, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch in 1 cup COLD water and add to mix a little at a time. Stir and watch thickness of sauce for a couple of minutes between each addition of cornstarch mix.

If sauce is too thick, add water or stock.