Creole dish a big and easy hit
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.
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During a recent interview, Prudhomme explained the difference between Cajun and Creole cooking.
He grew up poor in the country, but life was rich in food and family; that’s what Cajun cooking means to him. It’s robust country cooking.
Creole cooking, he said, is fancier city food — a combination of Spanish, French and African cuisines.
Prudhomme inspired me to whip up this dish.
To save time, slice the vegetables in a food processor or buy them from a salad bar.
Be sure to serve the dish with rice. Cook the rice as you do pasta: in a pot large enough to let the grains roll freely, which makes the rice fluffy.
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CHICKEN CREOLE
Makes 2 servings
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hot cooked rice
Hot pepper sauce
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Instructions:
Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet on high. Add chicken. Brown on all sides, 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat under skillet to medium high. Add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Saute 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Return chicken to pan. Simmer 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon chicken and sauce over rice. Pass the hot pepper sauce.
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September 10th, 2008 by Ragin Cajun /
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