Meat, Pasta, Rice & Grains, Poultry
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

1/2 cup canola oil 2 pounds bone in, skin on chicken thighs Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 cup all purpose flour 2 ribs celery, finely chopped 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 1 small green bell pepper, seeded, cored, and finely chopped 2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 6 canned whole peeled tomatoes in juice (1 14-ounce can), drained and crushed by hand 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 bay leaf 10 ounces okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices 4 cups chicken stock Cooked white rice (for serving) Hot sauce (for serving)

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in 2 batches, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add chicken to the pot. Cook, turning once, until the chicken is lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add the sausage, and cook until the fat renders, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.

Add the remaining oil, reduce heat to medium low. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until the roux is the color of dark, reddish caramel, about 8 minutes.

Add the celery, onion, and bell pepper, cooking until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme, cayenne, tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaf, and cook for 3 minutes.

Return the chicken and sausage to the pot, along with the okra and stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, okra is tender, and gumbo is thickened, about 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pot, and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin. Remove meat from the bones and shred. Stir the meat back into the gumbo. Adjust seasonings.

Serve with white rice and hot sauce on the side.