Chicken-Andouille Gumbo

Step 1

Cut the chicken into 12 pieces. Sear them in 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large kettle or Dutch oven over fairly high heat. Keep turning the chicken pieces until they brown on the outside; they should not cook through.

Step 2

Remove the chicken and reserve. Add the flour and remaining oil to the pot and make as dark a roux as you can. The key to making a roux is to avoid burning it. This is accomplished by constant stirring and watching the heat.

Step 3

When the roux is medium-dark, reduce the heat and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and parsley, and sauté until the onions are translucent and have begun to brown.

Step 4

Return the chicken to the pot, along with the chicken stock or water, salt, pepper, Tabasco, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for about an hour.

Step 5

Slice the andouille into 1-inch-thick disks. Wrap them in paper towels and microwave them on medium power for about 3 minutes to remove excess fat. Add the sausage to the gumbo pot.

Step 6

Cook the gumbo, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender, for 1-2 hours. If you plan to serve the gumbo the next day, cook it for just 30 minutes, let it cool to warm, cover, and refrigerate. You might want to strip the chicken meat (see next step) while waiting for the gumbo to cool.

Step 7

When ready to serve, remove the chicken and strip the meat off if you haven’t done so already. Slice the chicken into bite-size pieces and return to the pot. (You can also just leave the pieces as is if you’re among family.) Add the green onions and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.

Step 8

Serve over rice with a pinch or two of filé at the table.