Chicken Fricassee



1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 lb. pkg. andouille sausage, sliced
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
2 lbs. chicken thighs
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
8 cups chicken stock

1. Heat half of the oil in a large heavy skillet. Cook the sausage, onion, garlic, and mushrooms until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, combine flour, salt, and pepper in shallow bowl and dredge the chicken thighs in this mixture; reserve remaining flour.
2. Remove sausage and vegetables from skillet and set aside. Add half of the oil to the skillet, heat, and brown the coated chicken thighs on both sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken from pan as it browns. When all chicken is browned, add leftover flour to pan; cook and stir until light golden brown. Then pour in 2 cups chicken stock and cook and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, until sauce thickens. Return sausage, vegetables, and chicken to the pan and pour over remaining chicken stock; sprinkle with thyme and cayenne pepper.
3. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender and sauce has thickened. Correct seasonings if necessary. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Serves 10-12

From Linda Larsen,
Your Guide to Busy Cooks