CHICKEN-STUFFED BELL PEPPERS WITH MAQUE CHOUX SAUCE

Prep time 

45 mins 

Cook time 

90 mins 

Total time 

2 hours 15 mins 

Recipe by: George Graham  

Serves: 4 

Ingredients 

Maque Choux Sauce 

• 6 ears of fresh yellow or white corn, husks and silk removed 
• 4 strips smoked bacon 
• 1 cup diced yellow onion 
• ½ cup diced celery 
• ½ cup diced green bell pepper 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 
• 1 cup diced green onion tops 
• ½ cup goat’s milk or low-fat milk 
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 
• Dash of hot sauce 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
   
   

Chicken-stuffed Bell Peppers 

• 4 large green bell peppers 
• Water, for boiling 
• ½ fresh lemon 
• 4 tablespoons olive oil 
• ½ cup diced yellow onion 
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper 
• ½ cup diced celery 
• 2 pounds ground chicken 
• 1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs 
• 1 cup cooked Louisiana long-grain white rice, such as Supreme 
• 2 large eggs, beaten 
• 2 tablespoons Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here 
• Dash of hot sauce 
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt 
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 

Instructions 

Maque Choux Sauce 

1. Using a sharp knife, slice the corn kernels off the cobs shaving as close to the cob as possible. Once the corn is off, take the back of the knife and pull across the cob releasing the corn “milk”. Continue as long as the liquid flows. 
2. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the bacon strips. Once the bacon is browned, remove from the pan, drain on paper towels and break into small pieces for later use. 
3. In the same skillet over medium heat, pour off half the bacon grease. Add the corn along with the onion, celery, and bell pepper sautéing until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic along with the crumbled bacon and decrease the heat to low. Add the butter, tomatoes, and green onion tops. Cook for another 5 minutes. 
4. Add the goat’s milk and turn the heat to medium-high. Watch as the milk reduces, and the mixture begins to thicken. Add the cayenne, salt, and pepper along with a dash of the hot sauce. Stirring constantly, cook until the mixture thickens to a sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Turn off the fire and keep warm until serving. 
    
    

Chicken-stuffed Bell Peppers 

1. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. You can reserve the tops of the peppers for presentation if you like or, like me, put them in a freezer bag for future stock making. 
2. In a large pot of boiling water, squeeze the lemon into the water and add the bell peppers. Blanch for 1 minute. Immediately remove from the water, drain and let cool for later use. 
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, red bell peppers, and celery. Sauté until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and continue cooking just until the chicken loses its raw color (don’t brown the chicken at this point since it will cook again later). Turn off the heat. 
4. Add the chicken mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the bread crumbs and cooked white rice along with the two beaten eggs. Fold the mixture together until thoroughly combined. Add the Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Let cool. 
5. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 
6. In an ovenproof baking dish or aluminum pan, add the peppers standing with the open end up. Stuff the chicken mixture into the peppers and mound it up and over the top of the peppers. Add water to the bottom of the baking dish just until it covers the bottom (this will keep the bottom from burning and add needed moisture for baking). 
7. Cover the dish with aluminum foil by tenting the peppers and avoiding touching the tops of the peppers. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm. 
8. For serving, either plate the peppers individually with a hearty portion of the maque choux sauce, or bring to the table family style on a large platter. Lots of hot French bread will go great with this dish. 

Notes 

Corn maque choux is not a timid dish. It is a bold, spicy stewed corn that is mostly served as a side dish. Fresh off-the-cob corn is crucial since canned or frozen never yields the taste and texture needed for this stellar sauce.