Creole Chicken & Sausage Sauce Piquant

Sauce PiquantPhoto byM Henderson

The Creole cuisine from Louisiana's prairie region differs from that of New Orleans. Heavily influenced by Native American, African, and Cajun cultures, most dishes are spicier and heartier than the food of European-inspired dishes. For example, you won't find too many creamy sauces in Prairie Creole cooking.

This Creole Sauce Piquant is a smoky tomato-based stew served over hot rice.

Ingredients

• One 3-4lb. fryer, cut up, or 2-3 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 lb. smoked pork (or turkey) sausage, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 15-oz. can chopped tomatoes (can be seasoned with chili peppers, like RoTel®
• 1 4-oz. can tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon flour or dry roux powder
• 2 cups chicken broth
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Add one tablespoon of oil to a stew pot or Dutch oven, and turn the heat to medium.
3. Fry sliced sausage in oil until slightly browned, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove the sausage, leaving any rendered oil in the pot, and set aside.
5. Brown seasoned chicken in rendered oil. Remove, leaving renderings behind, and set aside.
6. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot of rendered oil. Cook, stirring until wilted.
7. Add flour or dry roux to the vegetables and mix well. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes.
8. Stir in tomato paste. Mix well
9. Blend in chopped tomatoes and stir.
10. Add chicken broth to vegetables, stir, and bring to a simmer. (Gravy will be thick, if too thick, thin with more broth or water.
11. Return chicken and sausage to the pot. Mix well. Cover.
12. Let sauce piquant simmer covered for 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
13. Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve over hot rice.