Cajun Chicken and Sausage Caruso
Cajun Chicken and Sausage Caruso is a fancied up version of the classic Chicken Caruso that was given to me by my mother. Taking a few creative liberties this turned out hearty and delicious. The insider secret with tomato based sauces, if they taste a little bitter don’t add sugar, add a splash of white vinegar.
This dish includes a Cajun Spice Mix that I try to always keep on hand, see my post with recipe for that!
Modifiers and substitutions will be at the bottom like always for anyone that needs to make adjustments. Possibilities include: vegan, low FODMAP, and low carb.
Cajun Chicken and Sausage Caruso
A warm and hearty tomato based dish adapted from the classic Chicken Caruso recipe. This dish can be amplified by the type of sausage you choose to use and the level of heat you enjoy. Served with rice, pasta or crusty bread, this is sure to fill you up and warm your bones.
- 1000 grams Chicken, cut to 1" pieces (About 4 breasts or 6 thighs)
- 650 ml Prepared tomato pasta sauce
- 3 stalks Celery
- 300 grams Cherry tomatoes
- 1½ tbsp Cajun Spice (See Link Below)
- 150 grams Chopped mixed bell peppers and onion (I love the frozen pre-cut mix)
- 350 grams Sausage, sliced at approx 1/2 inch
- Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large skillet on medium heat with a drizzle of oil sauté the sausage slices until fully cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
Add a fresh drizzle of oil and sauté the peppers and onions until soft
Add chicken topped with the Cajun spice and cook for 10-15 minutes until chicken in almost entirely cooked
Add celery and cherry tomatoes, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Cherry tomatoes should be blistered or popped. Cover for a few more minutes if most are still whole.
Stir in the cooked sausage and add the pasta sauce.
Add more Cajun spice or hot sauce to taste
Rylan’s Rating: 8/10 – “solid meal, definitely having seconds”
Modifiers and Substitutions
Protein
Chicken – You can easily swap out chicken for extra firm tofu, remember to press and drain as much liquid as possible. I would lightly marinade in a mix of vegetable stock and soy sauce to add depth and flavour (approx. 3 tbsp vegetable stock + 1 tbsp soy sauce). Or swap in mushrooms if you’re avoiding soy, oyster mushrooms work great and are readily available.
Sausage – Play with flavour! Pork, beef, venison, non-meat, garlic, Italian, you name it! Changing out your sausage can make a big impact to the final taste of this dish.
FODMAP
Omit the garlic powder in the Cajun spice mix and sauté your ingredients in garlic oil instead.
Omit the onion and add about 2 tbsp chopped chives, if dried add them in with the sauce, if fresh add them right at the end before serving.
Low Carb
Choose a konjac noodle, cauliflower rice, spaghetti squash, or low carb bread.
Cauldron Corner
A look through the magical qualities of the ingredients in Cajun Chicken and Sausage Caruso!
- Chicken: Nurturing, fertility, health, healing
- Tomato: Luck, protection, health, love, romance, wellness, ward off negativity, money
- Celery: Lust, psychic powers, mental strength, concentration
- Bell peppers: Comfort, energy, strength, security, prosperity
- Onion: Promises, oaths, protection, banishing, warding, spirituality, energy, psychic powers, male fertility
- Pork Sausage: Dramatics, profusion, abundance, energy, theatrics
- Paprika: Boost energy, strength
- Salt: Protection, purification, barrier, shield
- Garlic Powder: Strengths, courage, endurance, protection, health, inspiration, male fertility
- Oregano: Loneliness, homesickness, heartbreak, privacy, protection, peace, tranquility, health, psychic powers, dreams, luck, legalities
- Pepper/Cayenne: Protection, purification, cleansing, banishing. Also antiseptic
- Thyme: Energy, courage, vigor, health, mental clarity, clairvoyance, cleansing, sleep, attracts fairies
This dish is great to be served for Mabon and Samhain, many of these ingredients are at peak harvest during this time, it will warm you up as the weather starts to cool down.