If It's Fall in North Carolina, It's Time for Chicken Stew
Fall in North Carolina provides many things to look forward to - cooler temperatures, fairs, festivals, Halloween, beautiful leaves, and of course, the ever-popular chicken stew. It's not too hard to find a good chicken stew on a Saturday night in October in North Carolina. Some folks in these parts like to serve chicken stew with cole slaw, rice, or grilled cheese sandwiches. Below are some chicken stew recipes you can experiment with at home.
SOUTHERN CHICKEN STEW
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole Chicken (or several boneless, skinless breasts)
- 1 Can Chucken Broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Milk
- Butter
- Flour
- Texas Pete Hot Sauce
Preparation:
Parboil chicken in water until tender (usually about 2 hours). If using a whole chicken, break into bite-size pieces and strain all bones, fat, and skin from soup. Reduce heat and make thickening by mixing milk, flour, salt and pepper together until the lumps disappear. Mix thickening with soup and stir well. Add Texas Pete or other hot sauce to taste. Mix in chicken broth and reheat until bubbling.
CAJUN CHICKEN STEW
Ingredients:
- 3 to 6 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 (3 to 3 1/2-lb) Chicken (Cut into serving pieces)
- 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
- 3/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Scallion Greens
- 1 Medium Onion (Chopped)
- 1 Medium Green Bell Pepper (Chopped)
- 1 Celery Rib (Chopped)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 3 Cups Water
Preparation
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 4 to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot. Do not boil. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt. Brown chicken in 4 batches, turning them about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer when browned to a large bowl.
Add enough of remaining oil to pot to total 1/4 cup fat, then stir in flour with a flat metal or wooden spatula and cook over moderately low heat. Scrape back and forth constantly until roux is the color of milk chocolate, 10 to 20 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook. Scrape back and forth occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
Add water to roux mixture and bring to a boil. Stirring occasionally until roux is incorporated. (Roux may appear curdled initially, but will come together as it reaches a boil.) Add chicken and any juices accumulated in bowl. Simmer, partially covered, until chicken is cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in cayenne, scallion greens, and salt to taste. May be served over rice.
CHICKEN STEW WITH VEGETABLES
Ingredients:
- 1 Roasting Chicken (4 - 5 pounds), Cut Up
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 1/2 Cups Water
- 1/2 Cup Broth
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
- 8 to 10 Small White Onions, Halved
- 1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Green Peas
- 1 Cup Sliced Carrots
- 1/2 Cup Diced Turnip or Rutabaga
- 1 Cup Diced Potatoes
- 1/2 Cup Fresh or Frozen Corn
- 1/3 Cup Flour Mixed with 1/2 cup Cool Water, Forming Paste
Preparation:
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Add water, broth, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add onions, peas, carrots, turnip, potatoes and corn. Cover and simmer for another 35 to 45 minutes.
CHICKEN STEW WITH CORNMEAL DUMPLINGS
Ingredients:
- 1 Stewing Hen (Around 4 pounds) Cut Up
- All-purpose Flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Sliced Celery
- 1 Cup Chopped Onion
- 1 Teaspoon Crumbled Leaf Thyme
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Parsley Flakes
- Boiling water
Preparation:
Wash chicken; pat dry. Roll in flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat oil in a skillet; brown chicken on all sides. Add onion, celery, thyme, parsley, and 4 cups boiling water. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.
Cornmeal Dumplings
- 1/2 Cup Cornmeal
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons Butter
Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter with pastry blender or a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir. Drop onto hot stew.
Add enough boiling water to cover chicken then add salt. Drop dumpling batter by teaspoonfuls onto gently simmering stew. Cover and cook for 20 minutes (do not remove cover during first 10 minutes). Serve chicken stew immediately.
OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN STEW
- 1 Whole chicken
- 1 (32 oz) can of tomato juice
- 4 or 5 medium potatoes (diced)
- 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 or 4 ribs of celery(chopped)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon of peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt
- Pepper
Place whole washed chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add salt if desired. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 45 to 50 minutes.Remove chicken and allow to cool. Add onion, potatoes, celery, garlic, bayleaves and peppercorns and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove skin and bones from the chicken and tear chicken into small pieces. Drain most of the stock from the vegetables leaving only enough to cover them. Add chicken, tomato juice, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
MEXICAN CHICKEN STEW
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts with skin removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 to 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 (16 oz) jar mild salsa
- 1 (1 1/4 oz) envelope taco seasoning mix
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Serve with warm flour tortillas.
