Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

from Food and Wine's 'One-dish Meals'

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  cooking oil
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1  onion, chopped
• 2  celery ribs, chopped
• 1  green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package  sliced frozen okra
• 1  bay leaf
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 3⁄4 cups  canned crushed tomatoes in puree (one 15-oz can)
• 1  quart  canned low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄2 lb smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-in . slices
• 1  lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-in pieces
• 3⁄4 cup long-grain rice

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately low and stir in the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until starting to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the okra bay leaf, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the broth and the smoked sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until just done, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf.
3. Meanwhile, stir rice into a medium pot of boiling salted water and boil until just done, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Put a mound of rice in the center of each bowl. Ladle the gumbo around the rice.