Cajun Chicken Stew with Rice

Ingredients

• Brown rice

  Long-grain, raw

  1 cup or 185g

• Cayenne pepper

  Spices, red or cayenne

  ¼ tsp or 0.5g

• Paprika

  Spices

  1 tsp or 2g

• Thyme

  Spices, dried

  1 tsp, ground or 1g

• Oregano

  Spices, dried

  ½ tsp, ground or 0.9g

• Sage

  Spices, ground

  ½ tsp or 0.3g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  2 tbsp or 27g

• Chicken breast

  Broilers or fryers, meat only, raw

  20 oz or 567g

• Arrowroot flour

  2 tbsp or 16g

• Garlic

  Raw

  3 cloves, minced or 9g

• Onions

  Raw

  ½ medium or 55g

• Red bell pepper

  Sweet, raw

  ½ cup, chopped or 75g

• Celery

  Raw

  ½ cup chopped or 51g

• Tomato paste

  Canned, without salt added

  3 tbsp or 48g

• Chicken stock

  Soup, home-prepared

  ⅔ cup or 160g

• Bay leaf

  Dried

  2 leaf or 0.4g

• Scallions

  Spring onions or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw

  2 medium or 30g

Directions

1. Cook the brown rice according to package directions; fluff and keep warm.
2. In a small bowl, mix the cayenne, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, sage, black pepper, and a pinch of salt to make the Cajun seasoning.
3. Heat half of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining olive oil, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Cajun seasoning.
5. In a measuring cup, whisk the arrowroot into the cool chicken stock to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry and tomato paste into the skillet, then add the seared chicken and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened, 15–20 minutes.
6. Toss the cooked rice with the scallions and a few grinds of black pepper.
7. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the stew and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Let stand a minute to settle, then serve the stew over the rice.