Why do I only blog when asked for recipes???
Today I made a big double batch of chicken creole. I am trying to use the Crock Pot as much as I can this summer; our house gets warm if I turn on the stove or oven. Several people asked for a "recipe". I didn't measure, but here is a good guess. I have made creole before, but this was by far the best ever.
2 onions, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Saute all that in a good drizzle of olive oil til soft. Dump that into the Crock.
Melt 3 Tbsps of butter in skillet with a Tbsp or 2 of olive oil. Add;
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
1 lb. boneless, skinless thighs
Let them brown a good bit, shaking the pan a few times. Season with salt, pepper and Tony's. Flip and brown both sides, letting them get colorful. Fish those out of the pan and toss in the Crock. Keep the butter and oil, that is the base for your gravy.
Add about 1/4 c. of flour to the "chicken grease". Stir it to make a roux, scrapping up the "bits" from the bottom of the pan, cooking it til it darkens. Slowly add 1 c. of water or broth, blead til smooth and thick. when that bubbles, add 2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained. Whisk til thick. You want it to be a good, thick gravy. As the stew cooks, the juices will thin it out.
Pour that into the Crock Pot, mix it all together. Season with more pepper, lots of hot sauce, some thyme. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or high 5-6.
