Chicken & Sausage Stew

 

 
This is a hearty entrée with a complex flavors and chicken that falls off the bone. I like to use a cast iron skillet to brown the chicken and sausage because it does a better job browning than a standard skillet. But it's not essential. Any skillet will do. Don't over-cook the sausages while browning because they will cook further in the pot. You want them to remain juicy. It's certainly possible to make this dish without the sausage, which contributes a lot of unnecessary fat, but it admittedly tasty fat.

Rather than a cut-up whole chicken I often buy a package of 2 chicken breasts, with bone, skinned; a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs; and a package of chicken legs. Although more expensive to buy skinless pieces, it saves time. With this much chicken I increase the amount of other ingredients proportionately. The amounts are forgiving. Serves 6-8; great for left-overs.

6 medium red potatoes, halved (3 or 4 quartered potatoes, if using large)
1 cut-up chicken, skinned (or 6-7 legs and 6-7 boneless/skinless thighs)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green peppers, quartered and quartered again
3 red peppers, quartered and quartered again
1 or 2 lb. mushrooms, sliced (more is better)
6 links Italian sausage
1 large (red) onion, quartered and quartered again
½ bulb crushed garlic (or 2 tablespoons minced garlic)
2 vegetable bullion (Knorr’s)

Coating for chicken (mix well before coating):

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon dried, ground rosemary (or 1-1/2 T. fresh, ground)
3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

Seasonings:

2 tablespoon oregano
2 vegetable bullion
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried, ground rosemary (or 1 T. fresh, ground)
2 teaspoon fennel
1/2 teaspoon salt

Using a paper towel, remove skin from the chicken pieces. Cut and pull off as much of the fat as possible. Using a large, sharp knife, cut each breast in half (cross-wise).

Coat chicken pieces and brown on all sides in the olive oil in a 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Remove to a plate. Add the sausages and brown. Remove and set aside with the chicken.

Add the onions and a couple tablespoons of water. Brown for 6-7 minutes.

Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot. Add to the pot, in the following order: the potatoes, mushrooms, any remaining coating, vegetable bullion, the garlic, chicken, sausage, seasonings, one half cup of water. Cook for 30 minutes on low heat, covered. Add the peppers and cook an additional 20-25 minutes, covered.

Serve with bread and red wine.