Andouille Sausage-Chicken Gumbo

🧂 Ingredients

• ¼ cup canola oil

  plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• ¼ cup bacon grease
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces andouille sausage

  sliced
• 5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, plus more for sprinkling on chicken

  preferably homemade [https://burrataandbubbles.com/2019/01/21/homemade-cajun-seasoning/]
• 3 celery ribs

  chopped
• 2 green bell peppers

  chopped
• 1 yellow onion

  chopped
• 4 garlic cloves

  minced or grated
• 9 cups chicken stock or water with 2 heaping tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon filé powder
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Cayenne pepper to taste

  optional
• Rice

  for serving

Instructions

• 1 Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the ¼ cup canola oil and bacon grease
  with flour in a Dutch oven or deep cast-iron skillet. Place uncovered in the
  oven and whisk every 20 minutes until the roux turns the color of melted
  chocolate. This should take about an hour and a half to two hours. Be careful
  not to touch the roux. It will be very hot. 
• 2 As the roux cooks, remove the skin from the chicken thighs and sprinkle the meat
  with Cajun seasoning until it's mostly coated. In a large stock pot, heat the
  remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken,
  about four minutes on each side. You'll likely have to do this in batches
  because you don't want to overcrowd the pan, which will prevent browning. Once
  the chicken browns, you can brown the sausage for a couple minutes on each side
  if you'd like. Put the chicken and sausage on a plate as they finish cooking.
• 3 Once the roux is ready, pour the roux into the stock pot. Stir in the celery,
  green bell pepper and onion and cook for about five minutes. Stir frequently.
  Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. If your Dutch oven is very large
  and can hold everything,  you can put it on the stove and use that instead of
  pouring it into a large stock pot. I use a 7-quart Dutch oven and still pour the
  roux into a large stock pot to be safe. 
• 4 Slowly stir in the chicken stock or water with Better Than Bouillon. Add in the
  2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce,
  chicken thighs and sausage. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then
  reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and simmer for about an hour and
  stir occasionally. 
• 5 Discard the bay leaves and remove the chicken thighs using a slotted spoon and
  allow to cool until you can handle. Shred the chicken meat from the bones and
  stir the meat back into the gumbo along with the file powder and parsley. Taste
  the gumbo. If it needs more Cajun seasoning, add a little at a time until it
  suits your taste. If you'd like more heat, you can add cayenne pepper to your
  desired heat level. Keep in mind the flavors will bolden if you refrigerate it
  overnight. Serve over rice and with additional hot sauce if desired. Enjoy! 
• 6 Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and sprinkle the chicken with Cajun
  seasoning until it's mostly coated. In a large stock pot, heat the 2 tablespoons
  canola oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken, about four minutes on
  each side. You'll likely have to do this in batches because you don't want to
  overcrowd the pan, which will prevent browning. Once the chicken browns, you can
  brown the sausage for a couple minutes on each side if you'd like. Put the
  chicken and sausage on a plate as they finish cooking.
• 7 Turn the heat down to medium and add ¼ cup canola oil and bacon grease. After it
  heats, whisk in flour. Whisk continuously until the roux turns the color of
  melted chocolate. This should take about an hour, depending on your heat. As it
  cooks, you may need to reduce the heat to medium-low if it starts to smoke and
  get too hot. You don't want the heat too high to make the roux cook faster
  because it could burn.
• 8 Once the roux is ready, stir in the celery, green pepper and onion and cook for
  about five minutes. Stir the vegetables often. Add garlic and cook for about 30
  seconds. 
• 9 Slowly stir in the chicken stock or water with Better Than Bouillon. Add in the
  2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce,
  chicken thighs and sausage. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then
  reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and simmer for about an hour and
  stir occasionally. 
• 10 Discard the bay leaves and remove the chicken thighs using a slotted spoon and
  allow to cool until you can handle. Shred the chicken meat from the bones and
  stir the meat back into the gumbo along with the file powder and parsley. Taste
  the gumbo. If it needs more Cajun seasoning, add a little at a time until it
  suits your taste. If you'd like more heat, you can add cayenne pepper to your
  desired heat level. Keep in mind the flavors will bolden if you refrigerate it
  overnight. Serve over rice and with additional hot sauce if desired. Enjoy! 

Nutrition Info