Cayenne zing enlivens Chicken Creole
| • | Wrap it up! |
By Linda Gassenheimer
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme inspired this quick and easy chicken Creole. It uses tomatoes, green pepper, celery and onions — the essential ingredients of Creole and Cajun cooking.
Prudhomme said he grew up poor and lived in the country, but was always rich in food and family; that's what Cajun cooking means to him. It's robust country cooking. Creole cooking was fancier city food, a combination of Spanish, French and African cuisines.
Prudhomme's delicious samples of the two cuisines inspired me to whip up this dish.
To keep the chicken from drying out, I sear it first to seal in the juices and remove it while the vegetables cook for a few minutes. I return the chicken to the skillet to finish cooking through in the sauce.
The amount of cayenne called for in the recipe gives a mild zing to the sauce. If you like it hot, add more cayenne or serve hot pepper sauce at the table so that each person can regulate their own heat.
Quick-cooking or microwaveable rice can be used instead of the recipe below.
Wine suggestion: This multiflavored dish with high acid tomatoes and tangy veggies would be well matched by a chianti or a sauvignon blanc.
CHICKEN CREOLE
Heat olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet on high. Add chicken cubes and brown on all sides, 3 minutes. Remove to a plate, lower heat to medium high. Add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic and saute 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper, and return chicken to pan. Simmer 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon chicken and sauce over rice and pass the hot pepper sauce. Makes 2 servings.
TEN-MINUTE RICE
Bring a large pot with 2 to 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add rice and boil, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Test a grain. Rice should be cooked through, but not soft. Drain into a colander in the sink. Run hot water through rice and stir with a fork. Mix in oil and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.
SHOPPING LIST
Here are the ingredients you'll need for this meal.
To buy: 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 green bell pepper, 1 small bunch celery, 16 ounces canned chopped tomatoes, 1 bottle Worcestershire sauce, 1 small bottle cayenne pepper and 1 small bottle hot pepper sauce
Staples: Olive oil, garlic, onion, dried oregano, long-grain white rice, salt and black peppercorns.
Linda Gassenheimer is the author of 14 cookbooks including her newest, "The Portion Plan" and "Prevention's Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes." Visit Gassenheimer on her Web page at www.DinnerInMinutes.com or e-mail her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.
