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Chicken Sauce Piquant is a Cajun smothered chicken recipe swimming in a flavorful spicy tomato sauce. Step into the beautiful world of Cajun cooking.
Here are some great sides to serve with this classic Cajun dish: Garlic Chive Cheddar Biscuits, Southern Green Beans, Jasmine Vegetable Rice, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Baked Sweet Potatoes.
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I first learned about sauce piquante in culinary school during our Cajun-Creole cooking classes, and if this is your first introduction to me. Let me be clear, my favorite thing to eat is smothered chicken and rice.
Once I found out that this Cajun classic was a spicy tomato gravy made with a dark roux, I was hooked on the description. Then I fully committed after the first bite and have been making it for over 15 years.
The spice level can be modified, but the way I made this recipe, even my neighbor's 5-year-old asked for more. While I personally believed it needed more heat. So that should answer the question of "How spicy is it?"
Traditionally it's served over rice, but I put a baked sweet potato as an option because you can use it to make a loaded sweet potato. Thank me later. For now, let me teach you how to whip this up!
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for this simple sauce piquante. You'll also want to use your Dutch oven for the recipe.
Chicken
I like to use a whole cut up chicken for my recipe, but any part of the chicken will work.
Cajun Seasoning
I love to use Savory Cajun Seasoning because it's loaded with flavor and it's low-sodium!
Flour
You need regular all-purpose flour. Avoid using self-rising flour in this recipe because it'll taste metallic.
Oil
You can use any vegetable oil you have. I like to use avocado oil because of the high smoke point and health benefits.
Trinity
The holy trinity of Cajun and Creole cooking is onion, celery, and bell peppers, and don't forget the garlic.
Bay Leaves
Something magical about this leaf is the earthy flavor it adds is noticeable if it's not used.
Spicy Peppers
You can use any green chiles you like, but my go-to is jalapenos or serrano with some cayenne pepper.
Tomato Sauce
I was taught to use tomato sauce, and that's how I keep it.
How To Make Chicken Sauce Piquante Recipe
Making chicken sauce piquant is very easy if you can make a roux and dump ingredients into a pot. You'll be delighted with the smell's in your home while this cooks down.
Season chicken evenly on both sides with Cajun seasoning.
Heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat; once hot, cook chicken in batches on each side until golden brown.
Turn heat to medium-high; once a white smoke comes from the oil, add flour and stir until you get a dark roux (a peanut butter color is perfect).
Add onion, green bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño. Stir for 2-3 minutes; add garlic, Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, cayenne, bay leaves, thyme, Italian seasoning, and worcestershire sauce.
Stir in chicken stock, then add tomato sauce.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add chicken, and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Serve over rice and garnish with chopped parsley, green onions, and a few dashes of hot sauce.
How To Store Chicken Sauce Piquant
Chicken sauce piquant is best eaten immediately, but it will remain fresh in an airtight container for 7 days in the fridge.
To reheat sauce piquant, reheat over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until hot.
Place cooled chicken in an airtight container freezer safe and freeze for 3 months. Thaw 24 hours before reheating.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are the best techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need.
- Enamel cast iron Dutch ovens are the best for tomato-based sauces because the acid in tomatoes can begin to eat away the iron.
- Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for more flavor or chicken breasts for a leaner option.
- Chicken is not the only meat you can use; you can use venison, seafood, or an alligator if you feel like a real Cajun.
- Chicken broth and chicken stock can be used interchangeably.
- Creole seasoning and Cajun seasoning can be used interchangeably. Here's a link to my Homemade Creole Seasoning blend.
- You can use crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato paste, or diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. If you use tomato paste, stir it in after the vegetables are cooked.
- Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to reduce any acid reflux.
- Use 1 teaspoon of dry thyme instead of sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Letting your oil come to a smoking point will dramatically reduce the time it takes to achieve a dark roux.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making chicken sauce piquante.
What is sauce piquante?
Sauce piquante or piquant is a spicy, tomato-based sauce from South Louisiana. It's made with a dark roux, tomatoes, onions, green bell peppers, Creole seasoning, and chicken, but other meats can be used.
What is the meaning of piquant?
Piquant sauce translates to spicy sauce.
What is the difference between sauce piquant and creole sauce?
Both Creole sauce and sauce piquant are tomato-based sauces made with the holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers. However, sauce piquant is made with a roux and spicy peppers and spices to achieve its spicy flavor. Creole sauce does not use a roux and is less spicy.
What type of chicken to use?
Traditionally, a whole chicken is cut into 8 or 10 pieces for chicken sauce piquant, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts. You can even use a mixture of both.
More Cajun-Creole Recipes
Here are some more delicious Cajun recipes you should master.
- Haitian Stewed Chicken
- Seafood Filé Gumbo
- Bananas Foster
- Classic Beignets
- King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
- Corn Maque Choux
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized before I start anything.
Step 1: Wash your chicken before pulling the ingredients out.
Step 2: Put everything measured into individual bowls.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best chicken sauce piquant ever!
Making chicken sauce piquante is an incredible and rewarding dish when you have a large crowd or desire something comforting and filling. After you try the recipe, don't forget to leave a comment and star rating below.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Sauce Piquante
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Savory Cajun Seasoning
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 medium onion chopped medium
- 1 green bell pepper chopped medium
- 2 stalks celery chopped medium
- 1-2 jalapeño chopped fine
- 4 garlic cloves chopped fine
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 3- 3 ½ cups low sodium chicken stock
- 28 oz. tomato sauce
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1 bunch green onions sliced
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
Instructions
- Season chicken evenly on both sides with 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. Heat a 5-quart heavy bottom pot over medium; add oil; once hot cook chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Turn heat to medium-high, once a white smoke comes from oil (major point) add flour and stir until roux turns a peanut butter color. Once roux is a peanut butter brown, add onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño. Stir for 2-3 minutes; add garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt, cayenne, bay leaf, thyme, Italian seasoning and worcestershire sauce. In thirds stir in stock, then tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, add chicken and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Serve hot over rice and garnish with parsley and green onions.
Video
Notes
- Enamel cast iron Dutch ovens are the best for tomato-based sauces because the acid in tomatoes can begin to eat away the iron.
- Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for more flavor or chicken breasts for a leaner option.
- Chicken is not the only meat you can use; you can use venison, seafood, or an alligator if you feel like a real Cajun.
- Chicken broth and chicken stock can be used interchangeably.
- Creole seasoning and Cajun seasoning can be used interchangeably. Here's a link to my Homemade Creole Seasoning blend.
- You can use crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato paste, or diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. If you use tomato paste, stir it in after the vegetables are cooked.
- Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to reduce any acid reflux.
- Use 1 teaspoon of dry thyme instead of sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Letting your oil come to a smoking point will dramatically reduce the time it takes to achieve a dark roux.
Cheryl says
made this dish for the first time, in fact, this is the first Cajun dish I've ever made. Let me tell you the flavor is off the charts! It's absolutely scrumptious! Your directions were very easy to follow.