SMOTHERED CHICKEN AND MACQUE CHOUX CASSEROLE

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 6 Servings

Comment:
This recipe incorporates two of Bayou Country's greatest dishes, Baked Chicken and Corn Macque Choux. This recipe was often cooked for Sunday lunch in many homes along River Road.

Ingredients:
1 (3-pound) fryer chicken, cut into serving pieces
4 ears fresh corn
1 cup shoepeg corn
1 cup whole kernel corn
½ cup bacon drippings
1 cup diced onions
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced green bell peppers
½ cup diced red bell peppers
¼ cup minced garlic
¼ cup diced andouille
2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
2 tbsps tomato sauce
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups (150–200 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup sliced green onions
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
Louisiana hot sauce to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Select tender, well-developed ears of corn and shuck. Using a sharp knife, cut lengthwise through kernels to remove them from cob. Scrape each cob again to remove all “milk” (juice remaining on cob) and additional pulp from corn. The richness of this dish will depend on how much milk and pulp can be scraped from cobs. In a 7-quart cast iron Dutch oven, melt bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken in oil until golden brown on each side. Add corn, onions, celery, bell peppers, minced garlic and andouille. Sauté 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, stock and shrimp. Continue cooking 15–20 minutes or until juices from tomatoes and shrimp are rendered. Add green onions then season with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Cover Dutch oven and bake 1 hour or until chicken is tender and flavors of corn and shrimp have developed.