Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cups flour
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts and/or thighs (cut in ½ inch pieces)
- ½ pound peeled uncooked shrimp
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 1 cup onion (chopped)
- 1 cup bell pepper (chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- 3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves (chopped)
- black and cayenne pepper (to taste)
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound fresh or frozen okra (cut into ½ inch rings)
- 4 cups cooked rice or penne pasta
- hot sauce and file powder (for serving)
Instructions
- Use medium heat and a dry, small skillet. Brown flour stirring constantly with a fork until medium brown, about the color of walnut shells. Watch carefully, to prevent burning. If it does burn, throw it out and begin again with fresh flour.
- Heat a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Test the temperature of the pan by lightly gently tapping the top edge of the pan with the tip of your index finger. Heat the oil in the hot pan until it begins to sizzle and turn heat down to medium. Add the chicken cubes, shrimp, vegetables, garlic, herbs and pepper and stir until lightly browned.
- Add the browned flour and stir until all ingredients are evenly coated with the flour. Reduce the burner temperature as required to keep from burning ingredients.
- Add the chicken broth and Worchester sauce; turn the burner heat up to medium-high and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is cooked. Add okra and cook until it is done to your liking. Frozen okra requires less cooking time.
- Correct the seasoning. Add salt if needed.
- Serve over cooked rice or pasta with bread on the side. Place bottles of hot sauce and file' on the table so diners can add to suit their tastes--mild, medium hot or native Cajun Wow!