Chicken Sauce Piquant

Seasoning mix:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ to 3 pounds fryers, each cut into 8 pieces
vegetable oil for frying
1 ¾ cups chopped onions
1 ¾ cups chopped celery
1 ¾ cups chopped green peppers
1 ¾ cups peeled and chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 ¾ cups canned tomato sauce
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
4 cups chicken stock
hot basic cooking rice

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well. Mix 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix into the flour. Remove excess fat from the chicken pieces and sprinkle the remaining mix evenly on the chicken pieces. Dredge the chicken in the season flour until well coated.

In a large skillet heat ½ inch oil to 350 degrees. Fry chicken (large pieces and skin side down first) until browned and crispy on both sides and meat is cooked, about 5 to 8 minutes preside. Do not crowd. Drain on paper towels. Carefully pour the hot oil from the skillet into a glass measuring cup, leaving as much sediment in the pan as possible; then return ¼ cup hot oil to the skillet. Turn heat to high. Using a spoon, loosen any fonde and then add the onions, celery and bell peppers cook until sediment is well mixed into the vegetables, stirring constantly and scraping pan bottom well. Add the tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and garlic; stir well and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the tomato sauce and cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the Tabasco and remove from heat.

Heat serving plates in a 250 degree oven.

Meanwhile place the chicken pieces and stock in a large dutch oven and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Then stir half the tomato mixture into the stock; cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the rest of the tomato mixture, cover, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.

Adapted from Paul Prudhommes