Cajun Spiced Chicken Stew

1. Oven Setup

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, positioning the rack in the lower-middle.

2. Coating the Chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and 1 tablespoon of the Louisiana seasoning. Dredge the quartered chicken thighs in the seasoned flour until well coated.

3. Browning the Chicken

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high until it shimmers. Shake off the excess flour from the chicken and fry half of the pieces until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Set the browned chicken aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces. Keep the leftover seasoned flour.

4. Vegetable Sauté

In the now-empty pot, combine the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, minced garlic, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of Louisiana seasoning, and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle in the reserved flour. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, roughly 5 minutes.

5. Building the Stew

Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to the pot. Deglaze by scraping up any tasty browned bits from the bottom. Place the browned chicken back into the pot, including any juices that have accumulated.

6. Oven Braising

Bring the stew to a simmer, then cover the pot and place it in the oven. Let it braise until the chicken is fork-tender, about 45 minutes.

7. Finishing Touches

After removing the pot from the oven, take out and discard the bacon and bay leaf. Stir in the Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper according to your taste.