In-House Cook: Chicken and Andouille Sausage Stew

Chicken & Sausage Stew

Hello Friends! Between Christmas through a little after New Year's, it was very cold, here, in North Carolina. We had gotten snow that began to thaw but turned to solid ice due to temperatures that plummeted below freezing and stayed there for several days before we received a few inches of snow. That was so much fun! It remained below freezing for several more days, so I decided it was soup and stew time. I was a little smart and learned from locals to go stock up at the grocery store before the storms hit because the roads may be too icy for a few days, so I figured, if I was going to be stuck at home, I'd make a soup and stew. Below is the recipe for my Chicken and Andouille Sausage Stew, with potatoes, corn and more. It is hearty, full of textures and flavors familiar with winter stews. Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

1 package Andouille sausage, or your favorite

1 package boneless/skinless chicken thighs

8 halved baby Yukon gold potatoes

1 can red kidney beans, drained

1 can of corn, drained

1 peeled carrot, diced

1 white onion, diced

2 stems celery, diced

*The carrot, onion and celery are often sold in packages at stores

two rounded tablespoons diced garlic

2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 boxes chicken stock or broth

Spices and Herbs

2 rounded tablespoons Smoked Paprika

1 rounded tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon granulated onion

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 rounded tablespoon sage

Sofrito Seasoning

1 teaspoon Cumin

Sorry for the repeated photo, but i wanted to show the fresh herbs I used: sage, rosemary and thyme. You can buy these, from Thanksgiving through New Year's as a package for poultry roasting.

To be perfectly honest, preparation is the longest, most difficult part of this amazing stew. If you have the time and willpower to peel and dice everything, fantastic! However, I wanted to offer some time and effort-saving tips along the way. I find that the preparation for this was great therapy, as I'd had a couple of tough days prior to making this. I had slipped on the ice trying to clean ice off of my windshield and I hit my head on the left fender. Very much a funniest home video, but it did hurt. Then, taking my big dog, Banjo, out to do his biz, he yanked the leash out of my hand and I slipped on the ice and banged my head. That also hurt...one injury per day. Then, I just stayed inside and made this tasty, aromatic, hearty stew. Despite all of the sharp knives and graters in my kitchen, I was much safer in there than outside. 😀

Now, in a skillet or, in my case this time, a wok, bring three or four drizzles of evoo or, your favorite cooking oil, to a ripple over medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper to the thighs and place them in the skillet. I seared the boneless skinless chicken thighs whole rather than chop them up before cubing them. I seared them about five minutes per side, just in time for a light golden crust to form. Flip and repeat. The idea is not to cook the chicken all the way through, as the simmering for two hours part will finish it off nicely. I removed the thighs, let them rest a few minutes, then cubed them as best as possible. Some chicken thighs when de-boned are odd in shape.

Next, in a stew pot, I added three tablespoons vegetable oil and three pads of butter with some of the diced garlic over medium heat. What an amazing aroma! And folks, here is where it gets really easy! Saute the sausage till a deep crust forms, and move them out to the side. Next...

Add the holy trinity of cooking: onion, carrot and celery and stir thoroughly. I chopped up one extra onion to add to it. Salt and pepper liberally and stir to combine the rendering from the sausage and the seasoning thoroughly, about three or four minutes. Next, add the potatoes. Stir again.

Now go to your seasoning bowl or cup, and add a hefty tablespoon to the potatoes and mix it in completely. Now, add everything remaining: chicken, beans and corn and start with one box or can of chicken broth or stock. Add another tablespoon of the seasoning and stir vigorously. Things are getting heavy in there so you might get an arm workout! Repeat with the second container of stock, stir, season, and stir.

Now, allow this to come to a boil. While waiting, as it will take a few minutes, add a bundle or bag of the fresh herbs: sage, thyme and rosemary (I just threw mine in) and two bay leaves. When the liquid comes to a boil, add one final sprinkle of seasoning, reduce the heat to a low simmer and put a lid on it, so-to-speak.

Allow the stew to simmer for two hours, minimum.

I pushed the sage and bay leaves down and added a little more thyme and rosemary atop the ingredients. I learned that I needed a bit more liquid, so I added two cups of water to the pot and that brought the liquid solid ingredients ratio to perfection.

Allow to simmer, covered, as I mentioned above, for two solid hours on low. The aroma will fill your place with insanely wonderful aromas.

When finished (no photos, sorry) add the stew to a bowl, try to pick out the fresh herb stalks, and enjoy. I toasted some rosemary bread to sop up the soup part o the stew. So delectable! I topped stew in the bowl with a little Parmesan cheese, which is my topping of choice. What would yours be? I'd love to know!