Chicken Sauce Piquant- boneless chicken thigh pieces are fried and then braised in a fabulously rich tomato sauce and served over rice. This Southern Louisiana Chicken recipe is packed with flavor.
Layers of Flavor
A combination of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and slow braising leads to an intensely flavored tomato sauce. Slow cooking the tomatoes (along with a teaspoon of sugar) brings out their inherent sweetness. A couple of bacon slices add some smokiness.
And a combination of Creole seasoning and hot sauce gives this chicken dish plenty of spice.
You’ll fry the chicken and build all the flavor on the stove and then put the dish in the oven to bake for 45 minutes.
What Type of Chicken To Use?
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You could use white chicken meat, but I think chicken thighs are better for this recipe. The chicken thighs get wonderfully tender and juicy simmering in the thick tomato broth.
How Spicy Is It?
It has a moderate amount of heat. For extra spiciness, serve with additional hot sauce.
Cook up a batch of this Chicken Sauce Piquant and see why it is a staple in many Acadian households in Lousiana.
More Cajun and Creole Recipes
- Easy Shrimp Creole
- Seafood Gumbo
- Grillades and Grits
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Slow Cooker Jambalaya
- Corn Macque Choux
Chicken Sauce Piquant
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning,, I use Tony Chachere's
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion,, diced
- 1 green bell pepper,, diced
- 1 celery rib,, diced
- 2 garlic cloves,, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- salt and pepper
- 3 green onions,, sliced
- white rice for serving
Instructions
- Cut each chicken thigh into 6 pieces. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning. Place in a medium bowl and add flour. Stir to coat the chicken evenly.
- Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken in 2 batches until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Reserve the flour left in the bowl.
- Add the onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, remaining tablespoon of oil and the leftover flour to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring often for 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Stir in the tomato paste and then add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, bay leaves, and thyme.
- Add chicken and any juices back to the Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook another 15 minutes.
- Add Tabasco sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve with rice and sprinkle with green onions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Cook’s Country
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Great recipe! Was a hit with my Louisiana born wife. I probably cooked it for 30 min more than was required to get the chicken really tender so added a little extra broth so that it wouldn’t cook down. I also added some green onion in the sauce during the last 15 min as well as adding some ontop to plate.
Looks delicious. And I understood completely about preheating the oven.
I love Sauce Piquant. Thank you for your recipe.
Do you reread the instructions before posting? It says preheat oven, then you keep us hanging. I know you are busy, but maybe slow down and concentrate on the one recipe before formulating another in your head. I’m seeing a ppattern here.
Can’t see a problem here – it clearly says preheat oven to 350 degrees. Everything prior to placing the pot (Dutch oven) in the oven is done in the Dutch oven.
Ellen. Did you reread this amazing recipe to make sure you understood before criticizing someone who is being completely clear?
Chicken Sauce Piquant, as much fun to eat as it is to say. There was a lot to like about this dish. I used Slap My Mama seasoning, which didn’t supply as much heat as I would have preferred. Next time I make this, I’ll add some cayenne pepper for a bit of heat. New Year’s is a two day event at our house. This is making the cut for a make-ahead meal.
Says preheat oven. Is this cooked in the oven or on the stove top?
My uncle was from Louisiana he loved to cook and share foods. Our/his verizon is a little different.
Fry a whole cut up chicken with all spices available. On an angle cut Louisiana adobe sauage and fry with chicken the more the merrier. Add a teaspoon of crushed garlic.
Set aside
In a large pot boil med. Onion. Green pepper and spring onions til slightly tender if feeling crazy you could salute these then add to pot.
The add one tomato paste. Simmer 15 minutes
Thicken with your choice of flour or corn starch .
I let this get rich and thick then add chicken still on the bone and sausages. Keep on low and remember this fully cooked do not over cook..thats why your chicken should be cool to cold. Serve over any kind of rice but make extra cuz it will be even better tomorrow.
Yummy
Simply Cindy
COMMENCE MOUTH WATERING!
I just made a batch of this and it was pretty good. I think one thing I will do when I make it again is to look at their Cajun spice mix and use it. I used Old Bay, which I’m not knocking, but the taste was a little bit “Un-Cajuny”…but still very good. Also, I can’t eat white rice so I served my bowl on some couscous. My friend got the white rice. Both were very good. I’ll definitely make this again after modifying the Cajun spice and cooking it down more than 30 mins. in the oven.
Do we precook the bacon ?
No; it is there for flavor only
omg, never had this before so decided to try it thanks to the show swamp people. It was so good, i gave some to 2 of my friends they raved about it……