Warming Chicken and Sausage Stew

When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing better than a warm and rich stew brimming with loads of garlic and spices (while not being spicy!).  This meal is hearty, full of flavour, and while not the paragon of clean eating, it is rich with nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp grassfed butter or ghee
• 500 grams organic chicken thighs chopped into pieces.
• 350 grams of nitrate-free smoked sausage (preferable Andouille if you can get it, but chorizo works too) cut into rounds.
• 1 cup chopped organic onions.
• ½ cup chopped organic celery, diced.
• 1 green organic capsicum, diced.
• 2 cloves organic garlic, minced.
• 1 1/4 cup chicken bone broth.
• 2 tins of organic pureed tomatoes.
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (if you can’t buy it, you can see the end of this recipe for the ingredients to make your own, or you can substitute Greek seasoning and add in some paprika).
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder (optional).
• 1 tbsp coconut or brown sugar.
• Salt to taste.
• ½ cup sliced organic spring onions to serve.

Method: 

1. In a heavy based fry pan or wide dutch oven, add olive oil and heat to medium high. Throw in the sausage and cook till browned.  Remove sausage (but leave the delicious oil) and put sausage aside. 
2. Add the butter to the pan, then add the onions and cook till translucent.  
3. Add the chicken and brown.
4. Turn down to meduim heat and add in the garlic, celery, and capsicum and stir for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the seasoning to the pan and stir for a minute or two.
6. If you’ve been using a frypan, transfer the chicken and veg, along with the sausage, tinned tomatoes, bone broth and sugar into a casserole dish or dutch oven and stir to combine.  
7. Bring to a simmer and put on the lid.
8. Cook for an hour on the stove on low, stirring occasionally. Or pop in a preheated 180C oven (which I prefer) stirring occasionally.  Take the lid off for the last 15 minutes.
9. After an hour, taste and add salt if needed
10. Take off the heat/out of the oven and garnish with sliced spring onions.
11. Serve with steamed rice, steamed green beans, and enjoy!

Creole Seasoning from the King of Creole cooking, Emeril Legasse:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika.
• 2 tablespoons salt.
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder.
• 1 tablespoon black pepper.
• 1 tablespoon onion powder.
• 1 tablespoon dried chille
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano.
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme.

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.