Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

2 tsp Freshly ground pepper
1 1⁄2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 1⁄2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 Chicken (3 lbs cut up)
1 cup Vegetable oil
1⁄2 Cup Flour
3⁄4 cup chopped onion
3⁄4 cup chopped celery
3⁄4 cup chopped green bell pepper
Handful or two of sliced okra
1 1⁄2 Quarts Rich Chicken stock
1 3⁄4 cups thinly sliced sautéed andouille sausage
1 bay leaf
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 TB hot pepper sauce
Cooked Rice

In a small bowl, blend together black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Rub about 4 tsp of the spice on the chicken pieces.

In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Combine flour and 2 tsp of the spice mixture in a plastic bag. Add chicken pieces a few at a time; shake to coat. Brown chicken in oil on one side for 2 minutes, then turn and cook for another 3 minutes. No need to fully cook. Drain on paper towels.

In a separate frying pan, on medium heat, brown the andouille sausage and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion, celery, and green pepper. Add in a small amount of oil, if needed. Sauté just until the onions become translucent. During the last 30 seconds add the chopped garlic. Set aside.

After all the chicken is browned and out of the other pan, add remaining flour mixture used for coating to the oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until mixture turns nut brown. Add the sautéed onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic to the roux. Remove from heat.

In a large Dutch oven, bring broth to a boil. (You can start the boiling at any point in the process.) Whisk 1⁄2 cup of the hot stock into the roux mixture in the frying pan. Whisk really well. Gradually add roux to remaining broth in the dutch oven, stirring with a whisk. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Add chicken, sausage, bay leaf, garlic, and pepper sauce. Cook 40 minutes. Remove chicken and pull meat from bones; discard the bones. Cut or shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to gumbo. This process is messy. I recommend using a lasagna dish or a pan with a lip since there’s a lot of broth that comes out while pulling the meat from the bones. If you want to add okra, do it now and cook until done. Usually only takes about 5- 10 mins more. (I add it at the end like this to keep it from being too mushy.)

Ladle over white rice.

*You can also add cooked crawfish or shrimp during the last few minutes if you want.

*You could use boneless chicken, but I don’t recommend it. The flavor will not be deep enough and the chicken will be dry. If you must, at least use boneless thighs instead of white meat.