Cajun Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of vegetable oil to make the roux. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes until it reaches a dark chocolate brown color. Be careful not to burn it. Transfer the roux to a bowl, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pot, browning them for about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

In the same pot, cook the bell pepper, onion, and celery for 5 minutes until they soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the chicken, chicken stock, roux, bay leaves, diced tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and gumbo file to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken thighs from the pot, shred them and discard any remaining fat. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot.

Stir in the smoked sausage slices, and continue to cook on low heat for 1.5-2 hours.

In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the frozen okra.

Season the gumbo to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve over cooked rice or with French bread on the side.