The voters have spoken and they all agree: Speaker-of-the-House Chicken Stew is delicious! The pan-seared chicken is loaded with roasted, savory flavors and is so tender that it literally falls off the bone! The garlic flavor perfumes each sip and the tomatoes add brightness and sweetness, swirling with extra aromatic herbs and a touch of spicy chile. When you’re feeling down or chilly, Speaker-of-the-House Chicken Stew campaigns to get you back on your feet!
Ingredients
- 1 (3.5-pound) chicken
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large yellow onion, very coarsely chopped
- 6 carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch coins
- 6 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch slices
- 20 cloves garlic, crushed and coarsely chopped
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), coarsely chopped, juices reserved
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large fresh bay leaves
- 1 serrano chile, coarsely chopped, with the seeds
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
- leaves from 1 large bunch fresh basil, optional, coarsely chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Cut the chicken into 14 pieces, making 6 breast pieces, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, and 4 wing joints. Alternatively, you can have your butcher prepare your chicken this way or purchase pre-butchered chicken.
Step 2 –Season the chicken well with the salt and the pepper.
Step 3 –In a large, slope-sided sauté pan over high heat, heat the canola oil until it shimmers.
Step 4 –Arrange the chicken evenly in the pan skin-side down and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. The chicken pieces should release easily from the pan.
Step 5 –Transfer the browned chicken to a flameproof casserole, arranging them skin-side up.
Step 6 –To the same sauté pan, add the onions, the carrots, and the celery, stirring to combine them.
Step 7 –Over medium-high heat, sweat the vegetables until translucent but still a little firm, about 4-5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the vegetables cook.
Step 8 –Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 9 –Add the tomatoes and their juices and the flour and cook until the raw flour smell disappears and a paste starts to form, about 2 minutes.
Step 10 –Add the bay leaves, the serrano chile, the chicken stock, the thyme, and the rosemary.
Step 11 –Transfer the vegetable mixture to the casserole and bring it to a boil.
Step 12 –Lower the heat to low and cover the pot, allowing the mixture to simmer until the chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F and the chicken and the vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes-1 hour.
Step 13 –Transfer the stew from the heat and taste it for seasoning.
Step 14 –Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Step 15 –Stir in the basil leaves.
Step 16 –Serve.
