Lil's Smothered Chicken

This recipe is taken from the "The Cookin' Cajun Cooking School Cookbook, Creole and Cajun Cuisine From the Heart of New Orleans"

My brother in laws mother works at the school and her cooking is to die for. I used a package of leg quarters and it was about 3 lbs. instead of five (leftovers mmmm), so I had a lot of leftover sauce. We plan on eating it over rice tonight with the left over chicken. Make sure you use a very large and deep sauce pan or you will over flow! It does call for creole seasoning. We have plenty to choose from around here, I have no idea if it's available elsewhere. If not, email me... I will mail you a bottle! Ha! 

I don't serve two carbs with my meals. Mom taught me right. I decided on homemade mashed potatoes in the kitchen aid (red potatoes, skins on, boiled and then mixed with a little chicken broth, milk, parm cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic salt) and a spring mix salad with red wine vinaigrette dressing. It was tasty. 

It says two hours to cook, but I browned mine a little longer than necessary since the chicken was thicker, it took about forty-five minutes to get falling off the bone tender on medium-low. 

5 lbs chicken, cut up, washed and patted dry (I used a package of leg quarters)

Creole Seasoning (Tony Chachere's is my fav, any will do)

3 tablespoons cooking oil or bacon drippings

1/3 cup of flour

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup bell pepper chopped

(1) 16-ounce can tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon basil 

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 bay leaves

1 cup water (or chicken broth)

(1) 6-oz can tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Hot-pepper sauce to taste (optional, I didn't use it)

1. Sprinkle chicken with Creole seasoning and brown in cooking oil. Remove and set aside. 

2. Make a roux by heating oil or bacon fat in pot used to brown chicken (I used the same oil). Add flour and stir constantly until flour is a nut brown color. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft. (roux is the hardest part, if it scorches, it turns bitter and you have to dump it and start over, it's pretty much the base of all Creole/New Orleans style cooking). 

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat. Add chicken to sauce. Cover and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until chicken is tender. Serve with rice or pasta and toasted french bread. Serves 8 to 10.