My husband and I just got back from our first trip to New Orleans and I immediately had to hunt up a Sausage and Chicken file gumbo recipe after trying some of the authentic stuff while we were there.
1/2 pound cajun sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 skinned bone-in chicken breasts [1 lb]
4 TBSP butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped [I used the whole thing because I dig green pepper]
2 celery ribs, sliced
6 cups hot chicken broth, low sodium
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce
4 green onions, sliced
1 TBSP Filé powder
1 TBSP dried parsley
Preparation
Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until browned. Drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Set sausage aside.
- Add 4 TBSP butter to drippings in Dutch oven. Add flour, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 20-25 minutes, or until roux is chocolate colored.
- Stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook, stirring often, 8 minutes or until tender.
- *Gradually* add 6 cups hot water [stirring constantly], and bring mixture to a boil; add sausage, chicken, garlic, and next 5 ingredients. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.
- Remove chicken and cool, [I put mine in a bowl with cold water to speed up the process]. Shred and add back to gumbo.— While chicken is cooling enough to handle: stir in green onions and file' powder; cook for 30 more minutes—just toss chicken back in once shredded during this last cooking phase.
- Remove bay leaves.
Garnish with additional green onion, if desired.
