Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
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INGREDIENTS 3 pounds chicken breasts
1 cup celery
7 cups water
Salt and pepper
1 pound kielbasa
1 tablespoon garlic powder
½ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup onion
1 cup green bell pepperSeason chicken breasts lightly with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. If possible, do this the day before. Next, slice the sausage into ¼ to ½-inch pieces.
Make a roux, using a cast iron or very heavy skillet that is very clean.
Place oil in the skillet over high heat - oil should be at a stage where it just begins to smoke - and gradually stir in the flour, using a long handled spoon. Roux will take 3 to 4 minutes to cook and must be stirred constantly so that it does not burn. If you see black specks in the roux, it has burned, and you must start all over again. As you make the roux, it will change color from cream to tan to brown and then to dark red brown. Remove from heat.
Stir in onions, celery, green peppers, and stirring constantly until roux stops getting darker.
Bring to stove once more, and cook over low heat about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly.
In a large Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water to a boil, and add the roux, stirring to dissolve it thoroughly.
Carefully add chicken, and cook about 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Debone chicken and cut into bite size pieces.
Add sausage, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon black pepper, chopped garlic and cayenne to pot, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently. Taste and add salt if necessary. Stir in the chicken and remove the gumbo from the heat.
Skim the surface to remove fat that sausage gives off during cooking.
Serve over rice with a tossed salad and French bread.
Makes 6 to 8 servings