Chili-Cheese Etouffee

1. First, prep all your stuff: roughly chop the celery, peppers, onions, and garlic. You can chop up the chicken now as well if you feel like it, though it doesn’t go in until the end. Shred your aged cheddar and combine all the spices in a little bowl.
2. Melt the butter in a large, large pot. When it’s melted, add the flour. Stir over medium heat to create what’s called a roux. Keep it cooking until it gets to be a golden brown and releases a nutty scent. This took me about 10 minutes.
3. Add the chopped green onions, onion, garlic, bell peppers, and celery. Cook those veggies about 6 minutes, until softened.
4. Add the tomato paste and all the spices. Cook for another few minutes, stirring to combine.
5. Add the can of diced tomatoes. Bring it to a simmer.
6. Add the Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, dry sherry, and chicken stock. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for a good 30 minutes. It should thicken somewhat.
7. After 30 minutes or once it thickens, add the cheese, heavy whipping cream, and chicken. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. If it’s not quite thick enough, create a cornstarch/water slurry and add that in, or add more cheese.
8. Serve it over white rice, and garnish with green onions and an extra drizzle of dry sherry.