Chicken Etouffee

Content… What Is It? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve Other Awesome Creole Recipes Conclusion Watch How to Make It

What Exactly is Chicken Etouffee?

Chicken etouffee is juicy chicken thighs smothered in a thick, spicy sauce with tomatoes, onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. In fact, that’s how the French word etouffee translates – to smother. If you compared chicken etouffee with chicken gumbo, gumbo would be more stew-like with a thinner sauce or broth. Chicken etouffee has a thicker sauce and less of it, which makes it the ideal partner for a bed of steaming hot, white rice.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Chicken Thighs – A flavorful chicken cut that adds richness to an already delightfully flavorful dish. Plus, chicken thighs are super economical! You can always substitute other cuts of chicken for this recipe if you prefer, of course. Chicken breast works just as well; just cook it less time.
2. Roux – Oil, butter, and flour make a roux that adds flavor to your sauce while giving it that perfectly thick etouffee consistency.
3. Vegetables – Of course, the holy trinity appears in this classically Creole dish – green bell pepper, onion, and celery. But tomatoes are here for the sauce, too, balancing out the intense herbs and spices. Speaking of which…
4. Herbs and Spices – Garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and a good dose of Creole seasoning are some of the leading players in this recipe, and I’m here for them! 🙌
5. Broth – Keeping the sauce, well, saucy is a chicken stock base. Did I mention that Worcestershire and hot sauce contribute to the broth’s flavor? So. Good. 🤤

How to Make Chicken Etouffee

Prepare the Chicken

• Cut the Chicken into bite-sized chunks. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning. (Photos 1-4)
• Saute the Chicken – Heat a Dutch oven with about two tablespoons of oil, and then add chicken. Let it rest for about 30 seconds before stirring. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until chicken is brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.

Make the Roux

• Heat the Butter – Add butter to the Dutch oven with oil and flour. Whisk until smooth. (Photo 5)
• Cook – Reduce heat and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for 6-7-minutes until you have achieved the desired color. The color should be pale. Don’t walk away from the stove during this process because it might burn. (Photo 6)

Complete the Etouffee

• Saute the Veggies and Seasoning – Add the onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 8- 10 minutes, stirring frequently. (Photos 7-8)
• Add Tomatoes – Next, throw in the canned tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and Creole seasoning, and let it cook for 5 minutes. (Photo 9)
• Add the Chicken – Gradually pour in about 2 cups of stock, bring to a boil and let it simmer. Add the chicken, and simmer for 7-10 more minutes. (Photos 10-11)
• Adjust the etouffee’s thickness with more broth or water, then adjust the seasonings to taste.
• The Final Touch – Stir in green onions and chopped parsley. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Recipe Variations

1. You can quickly turn chicken etouffee into a vegetarian dish. Substitute the chicken with mushrooms, tempeh, tofu, or eggplant and use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock.
2. Make this chicken etouffee gluten-free by substituting flour with arrowroot powder. Instead of making a roux, just make an arrowroot powder slurry and add it to your sauce to thicken.
3. Want to make chicken etouffee in your instant pot? Go ahead! Simply follow the recipe instructions, saute the ingredients right in the pot, and set to sauté. Once you add the liquids, close the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Manually release the steam, and your etouffee is ready to serve.

Tips and Tricks

1. The roux in this recipe can make or break your sauce. Roux burns easily and can ruin that lovely etouffee flavor you are working so hard to achieve. So keep it on medium heat, don’t walk away while making it, and don’t stop stirring. 😅
2. Some people like a brown roux for the etouffee sauce, but I think a blonde roux works best for this recipe. It takes less time to achieve, and it’s harder to burn the roux when you’re aiming for a golden color. Plus, a blonde roux gives the etouffee a slightly nutty taste that is just beautiful.
3. To ensure the chicken cooks evenly and is nice and moist, try to cut it into chunks all about the same size.

Make-Ahead Instructions

This dish is perfect for making ahead since the flavors get deeper and richer by the second day. So you can make it the day before and then let it cool and store it in the fridge. Simply make your rice and heat the etouffee up on the stovetop when you are ready to serve it.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve etouffee hot off the stove on a bed of rice. Garnish it with chopped green onions if you like to add a little extra burst of color and flavor.

Store etouffee leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for 3-5 days.

I prefer reheating this dish on the stovetop, but you could also reheat it in the microwave. But add a splash of water to your rice when reheating so it doesn’t dry out in the microwave or stick to the bottom of your pan.

FAQs

What Goes With Chicken Etouffee

I love to make this a real Cajun-style meal by serving my chicken etouffee with fried okra and Cajun baked sweet potato fries.

I also make sure I serve bread with this meal because it’s so good to dip in the sauce. Try homemade garlic bread, homemade white bread, or skillet cornbread. All taste great with this recipe.

Other Awesome Creole Recipes

• Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Shrimp Etouffee
• Cajun Stuffed Chicken
• Creole Chicken Okra
• Shrimp Creole

Conclusion

Such a flavorful, easy recipe is so worth trying out! Have you ever made etouffee before? Give it a whirl, and please don’t forget to rate the recipe once you’ve made it. ❤️

Watch How to Make It

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