Easy, Big Easy Dinner With the Neelys

Down Home with the Neelys is one of my favorite shows on Food Network. Since they only debuted this season, they did not have tons of episodes for daily repeats like Rachael and Paula. So, I try to DVR them every Saturday and watch when I can. Last night I watched this episode where they cooked up some cajun style food. I didn't follow their recipe exactly just threw together something from memory. Here's what I came up with.

Creole Chicken

6 chicken breast tenders
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Hot sauce
Salt and Pepper
Oil (your choice, I used canola)

In a deep skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Sautee onion, pepper, celery and garlic until soft on medium to high heat. Add red pepper flakes and hot sauce to suit your taste. I like mine hot so I probably used a tablespoon of flakes and about five drops of hot sauce. Chop chicken tenders into bite sized pieces and add to the skillet. Stir fry for about two minutes until chicken is slightly brown on both sides. Add can of tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium, cover and let simmer while you make your dirty rice.

Dirty Rice

1 cup instant brown rice
1 3/4 water
2 links of Johnsonville Turkey sausage
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
Oil

Read directions on your rice box. Mine required one cup of rice and one and three quarters cup of water to make 4 servings. Yours might be different. I prepared my rice in the microwave but obviously the stove stop works just as well.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a deep sauce pan. Slice turkey links into bite sized slices and add to pan. Toss around until brown. Add veggies and continue to cook until sausage is nice and brown and the veggies have softened. The sausage will render out a little grease that makes the whole pot a little sticky. This is ok and will flavor the rice. Once rice is done, add it to the hot pot and mix well to coat the rice. Serve with creole chicken.