Aunt Jean's Alabama Chicken Stew

I was not so familiar with the Alabama barbecue tradition when my father-in-law, Cloyd, took me to St. Florian (pronounced Floreen) Catholic Church in Florence, Alabama, to get in line. It was maybe five o’clock in the morning, and already there were probably a hundred people ahead of us.

Some fifty yards away at the church’s outbuilding was the head of the line, our destination the bright square of its open door. It was still dark, so that was about all there was to look at, but the profound aroma of hickory smoke and roasted pork was entertaining enough. Cloyd, who was a veteran of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, and getting on in years, was muttering and shaking his head. He was fretting that the line was so short. Nothing like it was a few years ago. Times were changing. “The line used to be twice as long,” he said, “this late in the day.”

As I said, it was five in the morning.

For decades, every Memorial Day and every Veterans Day, St. Florian Catholic Church had been administering magnificent barbecues - terrific pulled pork, Hot Slaw and Chicken Stew. Being from  Georgia, I wondered if this chicken stew was just some variant of Brunswick Stew. “Don’t know about that,” Cloyd said. But then we were pulled to the head of the line by old friends of his for a tour of the inner works. A long series of tables, manned by volunteers chopping and pulling pork, and a row of cast iron pots - veritable witches’ cauldrons, more than a few of them. In several hours they would be filled with bubbling chicken stew. Our guide explained that the law required washing these pots with hot water, which would simply destroy the “seasoning” they had acquired over the years. That would be a horrible waste, so the law was ignored, and the authorities looked the other way. I was charmed by the thought. 

I tried my first chicken stew that day, and loved it. I also had my first Alabama Hot Slaw, too - and loved that - but that is another post (click here for Alabama Hot Slaw).

I was raised on Brunswick Stew, I revere it, and I mean no disrespect; Alabama Chicken Stew is every bit as good, and I confess, I make it more frequently than I do Brunswick Stew. The fact that my wife is Alabaman and demands it is only one of many reasons.

A bowl of Alabama Chicken Stew, with a fresh biscuit, piping hot, floating in the middle, is like a chicken potpie turned inside out. And there is nothing less than wonderful about that. Think about it.

I was not to have chicken stew again for several years. One Saturday morning in October, while my wife peacefully slumbered, her left leg jerking fitfully as she murmured, as she does, “Roll Tide - Sic em” - it occurred to me that Chicken Stew would be quite the thing. It looked to be a cold, dreary day. There would be football - no doubt my wife was dreaming about it even then; something hot and hearty, and chock full of Alabama tradition was called for. But I didn’t know how to make it.

Aunt Jean was my wife’s - would be anybody’s - favorite aunt. No one knew my wife - or the mysteries of being Alabaman - better than she. I was sure she would know what to do. I called her and shared my thoughts. She told me I was in luck. It just happened that her Alabama Chicken Stew was probably the very best that ever was. But there was one condition I must promise to honor before she would give me the recipe. NEVER WAS I TO DIVULGE THE SECRET INGREDIENT. And so I swore.

INGREDIENTS

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

olive oil (enough in which to brown the thighs)

6 C chicken broth

3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large onion, chopped

2 cans cream style corn

2 cans chopped tomatoes with juice

1 Secret Ingredient

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Pour the broth into a Dutch oven, and put it on high heat.

  

3) In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-to-high heat, and brown the chicken five minutes or so each side. Do it in two batches. The main purpose of this step is to create a nice brown crust - the fond - on the bottom of the skillet; there should be a little room in that skillet so things won’t get too steamy. The fond will eventually flavor the stew. When the chicken is browned, put it into the Dutch oven with the broth.

4) Cook the chicken in the broth, covered, on medium heat, until it is absolutely done. When it can easily be pulled off the bone, remove from the broth, and set aside to cool.

5) Leave the broth on simmer.

6) Meanwhile, pour a splash more olive oil in the skillet, throw in the carrots, onion and celery, and sauté for about 10 minutes. Deglaze the bottom of the pan as you go, with your spatula scraping loose the brown bits from the skillet bottom, incorporating them into the sauté. 

7) Add the potatoes, cook for 10 minutes. You will be adding to the fond, so give it an occasional stir, scraping the bottom of pan.

8) Add the cream style corn and the tomatoes to the skillet, stirring well, and simmer for about 5 minutes - stirring and deglazing as you go. Once you get that far it's OK to turn if off.

9) When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin, and pull off the meat. Discard bones and skin (remember the humble dog). Tear the meat into bite-size pieces and drop it into the Dutch oven with the simmering broth.

10) Add contents of the skillet to the Dutch oven, blending thoroughly. Check for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and cayenne to suit yourself.

11)  Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven, and cook, uncovered, for 40 minutes. This not only continues the reducing and cooking, it browns the surface - so stir occasionally, and spread the joy. 

12) Remove from oven. It is time for the secret ingredient.

Aunt Jean died last year, and she’s been on my mind. I’ve discussed this recipe with her children, who laughed and said there was no secret to the secret ingredient - she told everybody. So it’s ok, I guess, to spread it around.

 

SECRET INGREDIENT: 

1 stick of butter, just blend it in.

This is best served over a hot biscuit. If more elegance is desired, consider fried grit cake, or a wedge of corn bread, or corn bread sticks on the side. Perfect accompaniment would be fried okra, or fried green tomatoes, something with a crunch. Or how about fried green tomato BLT’s, like they serve at Harvest Moon.