Best Craig Claibornes Smothered Chicken Creole Style Recipes

SMOTHERED CHICKEN, CREOLE STYLE

Smothered Chicken, Creole Style image

Make and share this Smothered Chicken, Creole Style recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Brookelynne26

Categories Chicken

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 chicken, 3 1/2 pounds, butterflied (split down the backbone, breast left intact and unsplit)
salt, if desired
fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped cored and seeded green pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups canned imported tomatoes (crushed or chopped)
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Steps:

A black iron skillet is essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up as for broiling. Fold the chicken wings under to hold them secure.
Melt the butter in the skillet and add the chicken skin-side down. Cover the chicken firmly with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Add several weights, approximately five pounds, to the top of the plate. Cook over low heat, checking the skin side of the chicken, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a warm platter. To the skillet add the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are wilted.
Sprinkle with flour and stir to blend. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Bring to a boil.
Return the chicken to the sauce skin-side up. Cover with the plate and weights and continue cooking over low heat 45 minutes longer. Remove the chicken to a warm platter and cook down the sauce briefly, stirring. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 603.9, Fat 40.8, SaturatedFat 13.7, Cholesterol 187.8, Sodium 229.7, Carbohydrate 13.1, Fiber 2.7, Sugar 5.2, Protein 44.9

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Craig Claiborne's Smothered Chicken image

Craig Claiborne was a child of Mississippi who started as food editor of The Times in 1957 and did as much as anyone to help bring home cooking into the spotlight. The dish "belongs in the 'comfort' category," he wrote in 1983, "a food that gives solace to the spirit when you dine on it." You could give your smothered chicken some European flair with mushrooms and small onions in the gravy, as Claiborne did in his experiments with Pierre Franey, then his kitchen co-pilot. Or you could send yourself south to the Creole tastes of the Delta, with a blend of tomatoes, chopped celery, onion and green peppers added to the sauce. But sometimes the easiest way is the best. Try it.

Provided by Sam Sifton

Categories dinner, easy, weekday, times classics, main course

Time 1h20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, spatchcocked (split down the backbone, breast left intact and unsplit)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, ideally homemade

Steps:

Craig Claiborne believed a cast-iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up, as for broiling. Fold wings under to secure them.
Melt the butter in the pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Cover chicken with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on top of the plate to weigh it down. Cook over low heat, checking the chicken skin, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
Remove weight and plate. Turn chicken so skin side is up. Replace plate and weight and continue cooking for about 15 minutes more.
Remove chicken and pour off fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the flour to the fat, stirring with a wire whisk over medium heat. Gradually add the chicken broth and, when thickened, return chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the plate and weight and continue cooking over low heat about 20 to 30 minutes longer or until the meat is exceptionally tender. Spoon the sauce over it.
Cut chicken into serving pieces, and serve with the sauce and fluffy rice on the side.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 682, UnsaturatedFat 28 grams, Carbohydrate 7 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 53 grams, SaturatedFat 16 grams, Sodium 1161 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams