Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts, on the bone
• 1 chicken quarter, on the bone
• salt, pepper and creole seasoning to taste
• 2 carrots, chopped to 1 inch pieces
• 2 celery ribs, chopped to 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 medium onion, quartered with skin on
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
• 1/2 cup browned flour
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1/2-1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon gumbo file powder
• 3 1/2 cups shredded chicken
• 9 ounces smoked sausage
• 8 cups chicken stock

Instructions

1. The stock ingredients are everything from 2 tbsp chicken bouillon and above. The gumbo ingredients is browned flour and below.

2. Stock Directions.

3. Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat for a few minutes.

4. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and creole seasoning.

5. Add the olive oil to the pot and brown the chicken in batches. Set aside for later.

6. With the chicken removed, add all the veggies but the garlic. Saute for a few minutes then add the garlic and bay leaves. Saute one more minute.

7. Put the chicken back into the pot. Add the water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

8. Remove the stock from the heat. Remove chicken to a platter to cool. Strain stock into another pot to remove veggies. Defat if desired.

9. Gumbo Directions.

10. Heat a large steel pan over medium high heat for a few minutes. Add the flour. Stir constantly with a whisk so the flour does not burn. If it smokes too much, reduce heat.

11. When the flour is the color of say chocolate milk powder, remove from heat and continue stirring as it will continue to brown in the hot pan. Keep stirring off the heat until the smoking has subsided.

12. Heat a large nonstick stock pot over high heat for 4 minutes.

13. Add all the onion, bell pepper and celery, creole seasoning and ¼ cup stock. Stir and cook until the stock is almost gone.

14. Stir in another ¼ cup stock. Stir and cook until the stock is almost gone.

15. Add the garlic. Cook and stir one more minute.

16. Add 10 ounces of stock and the browned flour. Stir until a paste forms. Let this sit for 30 seconds or so. Stir and let it sit again for a little bit.

17. Add the rest of the stock, chicken and sausage. Stir well to incorporate the flour.

18. Bring to a boil.

19. Add the gumbo filé powder. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

20. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chile powder is optional.