Chicken Sauce Piquante is a traditional Cajun recipe that has been around for generations. With a reddish spicy gravy, it has incredible flavor and is fairly simple to prepare. Served over rice, the dish was and still is a staple in many households in and around the Acadian area. For more recipes like this check out our cookbook Growing Up Cajun!
In a 4-quart stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until browned on all sides. (Don't be afraid to burn the chicken a little or for it to stick to the bottom of the pot. This is where the gravy will come from.) Remove chicken from pot.
Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and just enough water to cover bottom of pot (about 1 cup); saute until vegetables are softened. Add tomato sauce; saute for 10 minutes. Add broth, cream, mushrooms, and remaining 1 tablespoon of Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Cajun Seasoning; saute for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; return chicken to pot, and fill pot with just to top of the chicken (about 1 quart). Cover and boil, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
Reduce heat, and uncover; stir in green onion and parsley. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.
Everyone at one point in their life has tried a stuffed pepper. They’re too popular to avoid, but what happens when you want to try something new? Thanks to the extra kick in Cajun spice, there’s a way to enjoy both the classic dish and a different taste. A common recipe like one for slow cooked stuffed peppers is just waiting to become Cajun Seasoned Stuffed Peppers.
Slow Cooked Stuffed Peppers
4 medium sweet red peppers
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
3/4 cup salsa
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup uncooked converted long grain rice
1-1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Reduced-fat sour cream, optional
This recipe comes, as recipes usually do, from older traditions. Stuffed pepper recipes exist across the world, but the ones made here have a style that is unique to the United States with ground beef, rice, cheese, and spices among the ingredients. Additional elements such as vegetables or cream come from personal preferences but still follow the process of cooking within a large pepper as perfected since the 1890’s. Beyond that, like a regular bell pepper becoming Cajun Stuffed Peppers, the recipe continues to change.
Stuffed peppers can be one of the simpler party dishes based on the recipes which means it can always be improved or made more elaborate. Ingredients can be switched out for dietary needs or just a little extra spice. The addition of Cajun spice, however, provides a new opportunity for an old recipe.
In a common dish, Cajun seasoning can either be added in place of something or as an ingredient on its own. Using the previous slow cooked recipe, a chef could easily substitute chili powder or cumin for a new spice. This not only keeps the hot element of the food but adds a new taste to it as well. Some people find that the flavor can even be preferable as the seasoning gives a sense of vibrancy to an otherwise ordinary recipe. Some even goes as far as to make Cajun stuffed peppers with the seasoning and hot sauce as their own flavors rather than substitutes. There is certainly something about the Cajun taste that always sticks out no matter where it goes.
If you’re looking to change up an old recipe or start a new one, purchase some good Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning for your own stuffed peppers today!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tops off of bell peppers (set tops aside for later use), remove seeds and rinse. In a large pot of water, boil bell peppers with a little salt for approximately 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet on medium heat combine shrimp, garlic, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, Slap Ya Mama White Pepper Blend Seasoning and Slap Ya Mama Pepper Sauce. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes or until shrimp are light pink in color. Add crabmeat and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, combine the sautéed mixture, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs. Mix well until cheese is melted and all ingredients are combined. With a spoon, fill each bell pepper with mixture and top off with remaining shredded cheddar cheese. Place bell peppers standing up in a shallow baking dish, making sure that they don’t fall over. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Enjoy!
