Slow Cooked Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

(Click Slow Cooked Chicken and Sausage Gumbo to download a PDF of this recipe) This is a wonderful recipe for all of you gourmets on the go.  You just need to get up about 15 minutes earlier to come home to a great meal at the end of a long day of work.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into two-inch pieces
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (I use chicken andouille sausage)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 chopped green bell pepper
  • 2 cups frozen okra (I'm not gonna lie, I do omit the okra - but if you like it - use it!)
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt - you can add more salt, but I like to wait until the end of cooking to season to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cups chicken broth (I like Kitchen Basics Low Sodium or No Sodium Broth)
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • Tabasco sauce to taste
  • Sliced green onion for garnish
  • Cooked white rice

Method

Layer chicken, sausage, onion, celery, green pepper, okra, Creole seasoning, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, black pepper, broth and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.   When you get home at the end of the day, cook some par-cooked brown or white rice - most of these  par-cooked rices only take about 15 minutes to make.  You can add shrimp to the gumbo during your rice preparation if you like it, but wait until about 1/2 hour prior to serving so it does not get overdone. When the rice is done, put 1 cup of rice on your plate and spoon some of your gumbo goodness over the top.  Garnish with green onions and season with hot sauce and salt to taste.

Serve with crusty artisan multi-grain bread and a side salad for a great meal.
Number of Servings: 8