Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo (No Okra!)

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 -1 1⁄2 lb chicken breast
• 1⁄2-1  lb andouille sausage
• 1  cup  diced onions or 1  medium onion
• 1⁄2 cup  diced celery or 2  stalks celery
• 1⁄2 cup  diced bell peppers or 1⁄2 bell pepper
• 2  tablespoons  minced garlic
• 2  quarts  chicken stock
• 1  tablespoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  tablespoon file powder

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the vegetable oil and flour into a 5 to 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven and whisk together to combine.
3. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, whisking 2 to 3 times throughout the cooking process.
4. While roux is baking: Slice then brown the sausage; Brown then cube the chicken (I brown the chicken in the sausage drippings); and Dice the vegetables.
5. Once the roux is done, carefully remove it from the oven and set over medium-high heat.
6. Gently add the onions, celery, green peppers and garlic and cook, moving constantly for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions begin to turn translucent.
7. Add salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, dripping from the skillet and stir to combine then add the bay leaves.
8. Gradually add the broth while whisking continually.
9. Decrease the heat to low, cover and cook for 35 minutes.
10. Turn off the heat, add the chicken and sausage and stir to combine.
11. Add the file powder while stirring constantly.
12. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving.
13. Serve over rice.