Alright, let’s talk about chicken stew, you know, the kind they make up north in Alabama. I ain’t no fancy cook, but I know good food when I taste it, and this here stew, well, it’s somethin’ special.
First off, you gotta get yourself a good chicken. Not one of them skinny little things from the store, but a real, plump chicken. You know, the kind that’s been runnin’ around peckin’ at the ground. That’s where the flavor comes from. You need a good, fat chicken.
Then, you gotta chop it up. I ain’t talkin’ ’bout no fancy cuts, just hack it up into pieces. Bone-in, skin on, the whole shebang. Don’t be wastin’ nothin’. Throw it all in a big pot, a real big one, ’cause you gonna be feedin’ a whole bunch of folks.
Now, for the water. Just plain water, nothin’ fancy. Cover that chicken up good, let it simmer for a while. You want that chicken to get nice and tender. We ain’t in no hurry, this ain’t no fast food joint. Low and slow is the key, like my grandma always said.
Next up, the vegetables. Potatoes, gotta have potatoes. Lots of ’em. Cut ’em up into chunks, not too small, not too big. And onions, gotta have onions too. Chop ’em up fine, they give it that good flavor. Some folks put in tomatoes, the crushed kind, you know, from a can. That adds a little sweetness, a little tang. And corn, gotta have corn. Fresh corn if you can get it, but canned is fine too. Just dump it all in the pot with the chicken.
- Potatoes, lots of ’em
- Onions, chopped fine
- Crushed tomatoes
- Corn, fresh or canned
Then comes the seasonings. Salt, pepper, of course. And a little bit of sugar, just a pinch. Don’t go overboard, just a little to balance out the flavors. Some folks put in bay leaves, I do sometimes, sometimes I don’t. Depends on what I got on hand. And thyme, if you got it, it tastes real nice in there.
Now, here’s the secret, the thing that makes this Alabama stew different from all the others. It’s the crackers. Saltine crackers, crushed up fine. You stir ’em in, and they thicken up the stew, make it nice and hearty. Not too much, just enough to give it some body. The crackers is what makes it stick to your ribs. And a stick of margarine, just melt it in there for extra flavor, makes it creamy like.
Some folks put in milk at the end. A cup or so. Makes it richer, you know. But that’s up to you. Some like it thick, some like it thin. It’s all about what you like.
Let that stew simmer for a long time, hours even. The longer it simmers, the better it gets. The flavors all meld together, the chicken gets fall-off-the-bone tender, and the potatoes get soft and creamy. You’ll know it’s ready when it smells so good you can’t stand it no more.
And that, my friends, is how you make chicken stew, north Alabama style. It ain’t fancy, it ain’t complicated, but it’s good, honest food. It’ll fill your belly and warm your soul. It’s the kind of food that brings folks together, makes ’em feel at home. Good food for good people.
Now, I ain’t no chef, like I said, just an old woman who knows her way around the kitchen. But I tell you what, this stew is somethin’ else. It’s the kind of thing you eat when you’re hungry, when you’re cold, when you just need somethin’ warm and comforting in your belly. It’s simple food, made with simple ingredients, but it’s full of flavor, full of love. And that’s what matters, ain’t it?
So, next time you’re feelin’ down, or just plain hungry, try makin’ yourself some chicken stew, north Alabama style. You won’t be disappointed. And if you ain’t got no time to make it yourself, well, come on over, I’ll make you a batch. There’s always enough to go around.
This ain’t like that canned stuff, no sir. This here is the real deal, the kind that sticks to your ribs and keeps you warm on a cold night. You can have that thin, watery soup if you want, but me, I’ll take a good, thick stew any day of the week.
Tags: [chicken stew, alabama food, southern cooking, comfort food, hearty meal, easy recipe, homemade stew, traditional recipe, chicken recipes, stew recipes]