Chicken Gumbo
Servings: 4 to 6
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 TBSP plus 1/4 cup peanut oil
3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 TBSP Cajun seasoning
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper
For serving:
4 green onions, thinly sliced
hot sauce
Directions
1. Heat 1 TBSP of peanut oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thigh dry with paper towels and sear skin-side down until the skin is browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, discard the skin and set the chicken thighs aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil to the dutch oven along with the flour and Cajun seasoning. Stir until thoroughly combined scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any stuck on bits of chicken skin. Continue stirring, constantly, until a dark brown roux is formed, about 15 minutes (Make sure you keep stirring during the entire 15 minutes to keep your roux from burning).
3. Add the onion, bell peppers, and celery to the dutch oven and stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables have softened just a bit, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chicken stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add the chicken thighs and any juices from the chicken, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Transfer the chicken from the pot to a plate and shred the chicken off the bone using two forks. Discard the bones and stir the shredded chicken back into the pot.
6. Increase the heat to medium and cook uncovered while occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve gumbo with steamed rice, green onions, and your favorite hot sauce.
2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil to the dutch oven along with the flour and Cajun seasoning. Stir until thoroughly combined scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any stuck on bits of chicken skin. Continue stirring, constantly, until a dark brown roux is formed, about 15 minutes (Make sure you keep stirring during the entire 15 minutes to keep your roux from burning).
3. Add the onion, bell peppers, and celery to the dutch oven and stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables have softened just a bit, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chicken stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add the chicken thighs and any juices from the chicken, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Transfer the chicken from the pot to a plate and shred the chicken off the bone using two forks. Discard the bones and stir the shredded chicken back into the pot.
6. Increase the heat to medium and cook uncovered while occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve gumbo with steamed rice, green onions, and your favorite hot sauce.
