NORTHWOODS CHICKEN STEW

NORTHWOODS CHICKEN STEW image

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 tablespoon butter
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
1 cup peeled carrots, sliced into coins (about three)
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons Northwoods seasoning
2 whole Turkish bay leaves
1 roaster chicken, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken stock (3 1/2 cups stock and 1/2 cup burgundy wine is nice
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
freshly ground black pepper to taste or a pinch of cayenne red pepper

Steps:

In a large pot with a cover, melt butter over low heat. Add onions and Northwoods seasoning. Cover and cook ten minutes. Stir, add carrots and potatoes, stir again, cover and cook another ten minutes. Add chicken pieces, vinegar, and sugar, cover and continue to cook over medium heat for twenty minutes, turning chicken over once or twice. Push the pieces to the side of the pot and stir in the flour until smooth. Add chicken stock and burgundy (if using), in a slow stream, stirring until smooth and blended, add bay leaves, cover and cook thirty minutes. Check and stir the stew occasionally, if it is bubbling away, reduce the heat a bit to a simmer. After the thirty minutes, take out the chicken and remove as much of the skin as possible. It is easier to remove the skin at this point than when it is raw, and it adds great flavor to the stew. At this point, if the top of the stew looks a bit oily, blot up the excess with a few paper towels. Add the chicken back to the pot. Stir in sour cream if desired. Season with pepper to taste. The stew is done at this point, but will stay warm until ready to eat. Comments: Northwoods seasoning comes from Penzey's Spices. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut down on the cooking time.