Spicy Creole Sausage & Chicken Soup

Fall weather is slowly but surely arriving in the South and it has me craving soups and stews, how about you? This one is sure to warm you!

This recipe comes together pretty quickly but needs to simmer for a few hours before it’s ready, so make sure you plan for this one ahead of time! The slow cooking gives the flavors time to infuse in the vegetables and meat. I like to start working on this one around lunch time to have it ready for dinner. It could also work as a slow cooker meal if you cook the meats first, then add all ingredients to the crock pot, and cook on high for about 5 hours.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
6 chicken tenders or 3 breasts, cubed
12 oz smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 red onion, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green or red bell pepper, diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, diced
2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen cut okra
2 quarts chicken broth (I use homemade)
Salt & Pepper-to taste
Creole seasoning-to taste (I like Zatarains and Tony Chachere’s)
1 tsp smoked paprika (I use Penzey’s)

Instructions:

In a large stock pot, heat the oil and then cook chicken cubes until no longer pink, season with salt and creole. Add in vegetables, garlic, and paprika; give it a good stir, then add broth. Season to taste with creole, salt & pepper, then raise your temp to medium-high until boiling.

In a separate skillet, add a little olive oil and brown sausage until it’s reached the color you like. Drain grease, then add the sausage to the stock pot.

Once the soup has reached a boil, lower temp to medium-low and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until vegetables are tender and flavorful. Do not cover with a lid; the soup will cook down a bit and the flavors will intensify.

Notes:

If you’re using frozen chicken like I do, go ahead and thaw under cold running water, and then start chopping your veggies. I like big slices of onion in this soup, but feel free to cut them how you like!

I always use my homemade chicken broth for soups. Hubby swears that he can taste the difference between store-bought and homemade. I’ll be posting a recipe for broth soon if you’d like to give it a try!