Chicken étouffée recipe

The weather is changing and cold fronts are moving in. With this, warmer foods are far more pleasurable. One of my favorite recipes is Chicken Etouffée. Its a Cajun tradition that my family ate more often when we were around my Nana and Papa. While I haven't mastered it like they had, I'd like to think that I came close. My children and even my picky husband enjoy it from time to time. Bon appetit!

You will need:

3 large chicken breasts
Any spices you want (I use oregano and garlic)
Oil (about 3-4 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
Onions chopped (how much you want. I use about half an onion)
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
Fresh garlic if you want (I use powder)
2 cups of chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (I add mine to my food and not to the whole pot, and its more than 1 teaspoon)
1 bunch of green onions, trimmed and chopped

 You will need to cook rice to eat with it, so make however much your family uses.

Time to cook!
Cut each chicken breast into strips then season with your spices. Heat a large, heavy, covered pot over medium-high heat until it is hot. Then add a couple spoons of oil until it's hot (lightly bubbling). Add chicken and cook until light brown. Put the chicken aside and add the rest of the oil.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly until it's a golden brown. (3-5 minutes) This is your roux. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic - stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the browned chicken to the pan.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is tender. Skim any fat from the surface, then stir in the green onions. Serve hot over cooked rice.

***I enjoy it spicy. Adding hot sauce, or even red pepper to give it some tang is always a plus.

 Serves 8, though you can certainly freeze portions to be used later.