Chicken Stew

I grew up in NW part of SC and to raise money, quite often churches would make and sell chicken stew. When I was in an organization during high school, we did this to make money for a trip to the beach. We cooked it outside, in a big kettle over an open fire and stirred it with a big paddle--all day long. It was soooo delicious. Is there anyone who can tell me what all goes into this? I would love to replicate it. I know it had corn, potatoes, chicken and hot sauce. But there was more to it than that. And again, it was indescribably delicious. I think I bought most of the portion I was to sell myself.

Also, any other chicken stew recipes would be welcomed.

Not sure about the SC version, but I can tell you about the West Tennessee version of church stew. I make a home version of this (in fact I had some tonight that I made over the weekend). The version we do is not just chicken though. It is somewhere in the extended brunswick/burgoo family. The version I make includes chicken, beef & pork, plus hot sauce &/or barbecue sauce, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, lima beans, purple-hull peas, green beans and corn. My Mom still makes a version of this to raise money for their church every October. They make 5 or 6 large cast-iron pots full, though they cook it over gas now, rather than over an open fire. Hope this helps...

quote:

Originally posted by pogophiles

...I make a home version of this

Ok, porch dog, any chance of you sharing your recipe???

That's toothless porch dog to you, sir... Let me see if I can cobble one together as I don't work from a recipe when I make this...

I made chicken stew Monday and Zman pronounced it "Best I Ever Ate". Well, it really was good. Y'all know I'm bad at posting recipes since I never measure anything but here's pretty much what I did:

In about 1 gallon of chicken stock put a whole chicken, some chopped onion and celery. Cover. Simmer for about 2 hours. Remove chicken (it will be falling apart...no matter). Cool chicken slightly and remove all meat (I leave it in large pieces). Add some diced potatoes to the stock and cook about 10 mins. Now add chopped carrot, zucchini, summer squash, lima beans, peas, green beans and corn. Bring stew to a boil after adding the vegetables and add the chicken, then turn the pot off and cover and let sit for 30 mins. to an hour.
The potatoes should thicken the stew adequately, if not I add a cornstarch slurry to thicken. This time I had a few left-over Czech dumplings (from duck and saurkraut dinner) so I sliced them and floated them on the stew and they thickened it very nicely. Only seasoning I used in stew was salt, pepper and sage.

Thank you very much for your recipes.

quote:

Originally posted by angelfood

I grew up in NW part of SC and to raise money, quite often churches would make and sell chicken stew. When I was in an organization during high school, we did this to make money for a trip to the beach. We cooked it outside, in a big kettle over an open fire and stirred it with a big paddle--all day long. It was soooo delicious. Is there anyone who can tell me what all goes into this? I would love to replicate it. I know it had corn, potatoes, chicken and hot sauce. But there was more to it than that. And again, it was indescribably delicious. I think I bought most of the portion I was to sell myself.

Also, any other chicken stew recipes would be welcomed.

There is a recipe in the South Carolina Cook Book, put together by the South Carolina Coucil of Extension Homemakers and published by the University of SC Press, called "Hen Mulligan." It doesn't contain corn, but looks as if it might lend itself to various additions and modifications. The recipe comes from Abbeville County and indicates that it was much used for school suppers. The recipe given will feed 200, but doubtless could be modified to feed a smaller number. This one doesn't, but most of the other chicken stew recipes from the area seem to contain ketchup.

The recipe calls for 20 fat hens, broth, 4 gallons of sweet milk, salt & pepper to taste, 2 large onion (more if desired), 1 to 2 pounds of butter, and potatoes.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

I made chicken stew Monday and Zman pronounced it "Best I Ever Ate". Well, it really was good. Y'all know I'm bad at posting recipes since I never measure anything but here's pretty much what I did:

In about 1 gallon of chicken stock put a whole chicken, some chopped onion and celery. Cover. Simmer for about 2 hours. Remove chicken (it will be falling apart...no matter). Cool chicken slightly and remove all meat (I leave it in large pieces). Add some diced potatoes to the stock and cook about 10 mins. Now add chopped carrot, zucchini, summer squash, lima beans, peas, green beans and corn. Bring stew to a boil after adding the vegetables and add the chicken, then turn the pot off and cover and let sit for 30 mins. to an hour.
The potatoes should thicken the stew adequately, if not I add a cornstarch slurry to thicken. This time I had a few left-over Czech dumplings (from duck and saurkraut dinner) so I sliced them and floated them on the stew and they thickened it very nicely. Only seasoning I used in stew was salt, pepper and sage.

Now that looks good.

Looks a lot like a chowder...

Well, it IS THICK. I happen to not like watery, thin stews or soups. Personal preference here for sure. I like soup and stew with lots of STUFF and not a lot of broth!

Here in central North Carolina, churches and other civic groups do fund raisers with "stew and 'que": brunswick stew and pork barbecue. Google can give you plenty of brunswick stew recipes; here's one I pulled off one of the Google hits:

4-5 lbs chicken, in quarters
dash Salt
1 cup chopped canned or fresh tomatoes
2 onions, sliced thin
1 cup lima beans
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup whole-kernel corn
1 tsp sugar
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Rinse the pieces of chicken and put them into a large pt with 2 teaspoons salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 mins. Remove the chicken from the broth, take the meat off the bones, and set aside. Put the tomatoes, onoins, lima beans, potatoes, corn, sugar, and cayenne pepper into the broth and boil gently for 30 mins, covered. Add the pieces of chicken and simmer for ten mins more, uncovered. Taste and add cayenne pepper and more salt if needed.

I agree with THICK. Whenever I make soup, apart from onion soup, and give it to family or friends, they always add more liquid to it. On another chicken note (b-flat, I think) I made a pot of chicken stock yesterday for soups, etc. Though not kosher in any sense of the word, I added a smoked ham hock I had sitting around. It gave a nice subtle undertone.

Grampy, that's funny that you mentioned onion soup. Do you know that the ONLY time I was served French onion soup in France was at wedding receptions at 3 or 4AM? It's supposed to sober you up. Yeah, right.

And by the way, your chicken note was F Sharp.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Well, it IS THICK. I happen to not like watery, thin stews or soups. Personal preference here for sure. I like soup and stew with lots of STUFF and not a lot of broth!

I like it thick too. My "chowder" post was in reference to Alexander's "chicken mulligan" post with the chickens, onions, milk, butter & potatoes...

GordonW, that sounds very close, but without the lima beans. I think they may have added ketchup, too.

quote:

Originally posted by pogophiles

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Well, it IS THICK. I happen to not like watery, thin stews or soups. Personal preference here for sure. I like soup and stew with lots of STUFF and not a lot of broth!

I like it thick too. My "chowder" post was in reference to Alexander's "chicken mulligan" post with the chickens, onions, milk, butter & potatoes...

Yes, you're right, it did sound a bit "chowdery". THICK is the way to go! Definately!

quote:

Originally posted by pogophiles

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Well, it IS THICK. I happen to not like watery, thin stews or soups. Personal preference here for sure. I like soup and stew with lots of STUFF and not a lot of broth!

I like it thick too. My "chowder" post was in reference to Alexander's "chicken mulligan" post with the chickens, onions, milk, butter & potatoes...

My gauges: If a spoon stuck upright in the pot takes 4-5 seconds to fall over, it's proper soup; if it takes 10 seconds, it's stew. If it takes under 4 seconds, throw it out and start over.

My Brunswick Stew is almost thick enough to stand on. If I can't get squirrel for it, I have to use pork neck bones. It also uses dried lima beans cooked to nothing so as to thicken it.

Sounds great Alexander!! That kind of stew definitely benefits from the slightly gamey taste of the squirrel... I think it's better that way... I just don't get squirrel very often anymore...

I have a friend that grew up on a chicken farm in central North Carolina. She made her chicken stew just like you make oyster stew.
She stewed her chicken breasts, then cut them up into small pieces and returned them to the pot with some of the broth that they were cooked in. Bring to a boil and add milk and butter and let get hot. Serve with crackers and celery ribs. It was suprisingly good.

quote:

There is a recipe in the South Carolina Cook Book, put together by the South Carolina Coucil of Extension Homemakers and published by the University of SC Press, called "Hen Mulligan." It doesn't contain corn, but looks as if it might lend itself to various additions and modifications. The recipe comes from Abbeville County and indicates that it was much used for school suppers. The recipe given will feed 200, but doubtless could be modified to feed a smaller number. This one doesn't, but most of the other chicken stew recipes from the area seem to contain ketchup.

The recipe calls for 20 fat hens, broth, 4 gallons of sweet milk, salt & pepper to taste, 2 large onion (more if desired), 1 to 2 pounds of butter, and potatoes.

This chowder-like chicken stew sounds like what I was served when a buddy took me to Holden's Ranch in Spartanburg, SC. Rich, creamy and, with a couple of shots of hot sauce, a heavenly brew indeed.

Angelfood, I may be making a version from a different part of the state, and I call it "chicken bog" but I think it still qualifies in the brunswick/burgoo family. That's a really big family, incidentally.

I just cook some cut-up chicken breasts, no skin, with plenty of diced onion and celery, add some chicken stock or boullion if I don't have stock, add some diced carrots with ground black pepper, a little thyme and a little bit of red pepper flakes. I let that start to get soft, and then I add rice and more stock or boullion and let it cook the amount of time you're supposed to cook the rice. It's got really no liquid left when I'm done.

Then I slather it with cranberry sauce when I eat it, so I might be cooking/eating some Yankee bastardization for all I know.

quote:

Originally posted by emsmom

I have a friend that grew up on a chicken farm in central North Carolina. She made her chicken stew just like you make oyster stew.
She stewed her chicken breasts, then cut them up into small pieces and returned them to the pot with some of the broth that they were cooked in. Bring to a boil and add milk and butter and let get hot. Serve with crackers and celery ribs. It was suprisingly good.

Just squeeze a few golf ball size dollops of biscuit dough into that mix when you add the milk and butter for some heavenly chicken & dumplins.

Dearfolk,
Beginning over around Anderson and extending down into Northeast Georgia, you'll find chicken mull. It's your basic chicken soup thickened up a bit with corn meal and a few other things, but not much by way of vegetation... no lima beans, carrots, celery, or such (if any of that is in there, it's pureed).
If I hadn't stayed up last night until 5:30 this morning cleaning and playing records, I might well have wandered over to The Gateway Cafe today for chicken mull. I put a dollop or two of hot sauce in it... Texas Pete, if I can get it, otherwise whatever they've got... and copious amounts of black pepper. It's a very regional dish, like chicken bog - and, alas, one that's disappearing from restaurant menus. I know of only one other place locally that has it... Bill's Barbecue on U. S. 29 north of Athens just into Madison County, where GA. 106 turns off at Fortson's Crossroads.
Mulling It Over, Ort. Carlton in Sundappled Athens, Georgia.

An easy one that is loved by my family:

1 large chicken appx 5 lbs
Water to cover
1 TSP Kosher salt
2 Regular cans diced tomatos
1 12oz jar pickled Jalapenos
1 tsp or to tast of pepper (you can pick whether cayenne or black)
1 lb frozen okra cuts (we rarely get good okra round here)
1 Regular can of creamed corn

Just very (yes very) gently simmer the chicken and the neck and giblets (but not the liver) with the salt starting in cold water.

Take out chicken etc. when done (appx 1 hr 2O min) let cool

Skim fat.

Add other ingredients except the creamed corn and let simmer.

Skin chicken discarding the skin. Discard the neck -- and if you dont like giblets give to your pet instead of chopping and adding them. Then cut the chicken into large pieces.

Add the creamed corn and the seasoning. Test for taste and adjust salt & pepper.

Add back the chicken chunks.

Serve with biscuits or crusty bread (garlic bread is also good) and a green of some variety.

Great dinner and really reheats well at work.

The only chicken stew I have eaten - or seen, here in south-central NC, has been made with the milk/cream base. I guess I may have been missing something. I do recall having chicken-vegetable soup a time or so - (years ago in the school cafeteria. As I recall it was very thin and not very flavorful. That would not be the same as the stews mentioned above - would it?

My Mom, Sister and I always make a big batch every year right after Christmas and freeze it. We call our Brunswick. We use chicken, beef and pork . Ours is quite similar to what Pogophiles describes except we add okra also. We put in into freezer containers and divide it 3 ways. This is really good to heat up on a winters night after a long day at work.

There's a locally canned chicken stew that's been popular for years around Richmond called "Mrs. Fearnow's Brunswick Stew." It's sold in local supermarkets. I think it's made in Hanover County (Va.) on a farm. It has the basics: chicken, lima beans, white sweet corn, potatoes, spices, and has a nice chowdery consistency. I like it.

Frank

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Dearfolk,
Beginning over around Anderson and extending down into Northeast Georgia, you'll find chicken mull. It's your basic chicken soup thickened up a bit with corn meal and a few other things, but not much by way of vegetation... no lima beans, carrots, celery, or such (if any of that is in there, it's pureed).
If I hadn't stayed up last night until 5:30 this morning cleaning and playing records, I might well have wandered over to The Gateway Cafe today for chicken mull. I put a dollop or two of hot sauce in it... Texas Pete, if I can get it, otherwise whatever they've got... and copious amounts of black pepper. It's a very regional dish, like chicken bog - and, alas, one that's disappearing from restaurant menus. I know of only one other place locally that has it... Bill's Barbecue on U. S. 29 north of Athens just into Madison County, where GA. 106 turns off at Fortson's Crossroads.
Mulling It Over, Ort. Carlton in Sundappled Athens, Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by ansmith

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Dearfolk,
Beginning over around Anderson and extending down into Northeast Georgia, you'll find chicken mull. It's your basic chicken soup thickened up a bit with corn meal and a few other things, but not much by way of vegetation... no lima beans, carrots, celery, or such (if any of that is in there, it's pureed).
If I hadn't stayed up last night until 5:30 this morning cleaning and playing records, I might well have wandered over to The Gateway Cafe today for chicken mull. I put a dollop or two of hot sauce in it... Texas Pete, if I can get it, otherwise whatever they've got... and copious amounts of black pepper. It's a very regional dish, like chicken bog - and, alas, one that's disappearing from restaurant menus. I know of only one other place locally that has it... Bill's Barbecue on U. S. 29 north of Athens just into Madison County, where GA. 106 turns off at Fortson's Crossroads.
Mulling It Over, Ort. Carlton in Sundappled Athens, Georgia.

There is no corn meal in chicken mull. Just maily chicken, broth, mil, onions and crackers.

quote:

Originally posted by ansmith

quote:

Originally posted by ansmith

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Dearfolk,
Beginning over around Anderson and extending down into Northeast Georgia, you'll find chicken mull. It's your basic chicken soup thickened up a bit with corn meal and a few other things, but not much by way of vegetation... no lima beans, carrots, celery, or such (if any of that is in there, it's pureed).
If I hadn't stayed up last night until 5:30 this morning cleaning and playing records, I might well have wandered over to The Gateway Cafe today for chicken mull. I put a dollop or two of hot sauce in it... Texas Pete, if I can get it, otherwise whatever they've got... and copious amounts of black pepper. It's a very regional dish, like chicken bog - and, alas, one that's disappearing from restaurant menus. I know of only one other place locally that has it... Bill's Barbecue on U. S. 29 north of Athens just into Madison County, where GA. 106 turns off at Fortson's Crossroads.
Mulling It Over, Ort. Carlton in Sundappled Athens, Georgia.

Steve’s Chicken Mull
Recipe makes about 1 gallon
 
Ingredients
1 large chicken (5 lb.)
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1/2 stick butter
1 cup sour cream
2-12 oz. cans evaporated milk
 2 sleeves saltine crackers
Directions
Cover chicken with water in large pot, add 2 Tablespoons salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender. (about 1 1/2 hours)
Remove skin and bones, grind chicken, strain broth and return to pot.
Add onion and black pepper, simmer uncovered (low heat) stirring frequently (about 30 min.).
Add 2-12 oz. cans of evaporated milk, 1/2 stick butter, 1 cup sour cream and 2 sleeves saltine crackers (crushed fine).
Continue to simmer uncovered and stir until thickened (about 15 min.) remove from heat and serve.
*Serve with saltine crackers and Tabasco.

I make what we call stewed chicken fairly often for my Dad using either a small pkg of drumsticks or bone-in thighs.  I don't use a recipe, but it's fairly easy:
 
1 small bell pepper, diced 
2-3 stalks of celery, diced
1 med. onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
8 oz pkg, fresh button mushrooms, sliced in half, thirds if they are large 
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. thyme
chicken broth or stock (I use Swanson's organic chicken broth)
salt and pepper to taste
 
Heat about 1/4 cup Canola oil in a Dutch oven.  Dredge chicken pieces in flour (I use Wondra) which has been seasoned with salt-free Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper.  Brown chicken pieces on both sides,(it will not be cooked through, which is fine)  then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.  Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook until soft.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Return chicken pieces to the pot along with any accumulated juices.  Add thyme, bay leaf, and chicken broth to just cover about 3/4 of the way.  Bring to a boil then lower.  Cover and simmer about 2 hrs. until chicken is tender.  Serve over rice with green peas. This should cook up to make a nice, rich, thick gravy to use over potatoes, or rice.  If when it's done and needs to be thicker, make a slurry with a little flour and some of the sauce.
 
It's purely cosmetic, but you could add a couple drops of Kitchen Bouquet if you want the gravy darker.   

angelfood


I grew up in NW part of SC and to raise money, quite often churches would make and sell chicken stew. When I was in an organization during high school, we did this to make money for a trip to the beach. We cooked it outside, in a big kettle over an open fire and stirred it with a big paddle--all day long. It was soooo delicious. Is there anyone who can tell me what all goes into this? I would love to replicate it. I know it had corn, potatoes, chicken and hot sauce. But there was more to it than that. And again, it was indescribably delicious. I think I bought most of the portion I was to sell myself.

Also, any other chicken stew recipes would be welcomed.

 
That's Brunswick stew! There are many recipes for it on the net

Finally I got it. I have found the best recipes  for chicken stew. Thanks for sharing your recipes.

Thanks for the recipe. It's really delicious. I will try it at my home.

BELLE REVE
The Chicken?? Skin on or Skinless??

Definitely skin on - I use the a either 4-5 drumsticks or thighs to a pkg.  You shouldn't have to skim it.  I didn't mention it - but there's usually some of the seasoned dredging flour left you can use for thickening if you need it.  Let me know how it comes out if you decide to make it.