Spicy Cajun Chicken Dish

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3 cups cold chicken broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion (white and light green parts)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it’s nice and crispy, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a bowl, but keep about 2 tablespoons of that bacon fat in the pan. Next, add the onion, celery, and a pinch of salt to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften—this should take around 5 minutes. Then toss in the green and red bell peppers along with the garlic, and keep stirring until the peppers are tender, about another 5 minutes.

Step 2

Pour in the vegetable oil, sprinkle the flour over the veggies, and cook it all together, stirring often, until the flour turns golden and the mixture thickens—this usually takes around 5 minutes. Stir in the black pepper, paprika, oregano, and cayenne, making sure everything is well combined. Slowly pour in a quarter cup of chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you stir. Add the rest of the broth along with the Worcestershire sauce, then turn the heat up to medium-high and let it simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces slightly, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Turn the heat down to low and stir in the andouille sausage, chicken, and the crispy bacon you set aside earlier. Cook just until everything is heated through. Finally, take the pan off the heat, mix in the green onions, and taste to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.