Gluten Free Chicken Sausage Gumbo

When I made this the first time it was an instant favorite for all of us. Even Seth ate some. Later Lily was diagnosed with EoE (allergic reaction in her esophagus) we had to limit wheat/gluten. Since this was one of her favorite things to eat I had to come up with a way to make it gluten free. I tried to make it with oat flour it came out good. The only issue we had with oat flour is that it popped like crazy in the oil. Yes you can use that but I wouldn't recommend it. Almond flour and coconut flour does not work . Never use those for this particular recipe either. Also if you use olive oil like I do be sure NOT to use virgin olive oil. It has a low smoke point and will mess up flavor when heated at higher heats. Instead use classic or light olive oil. You can use also use vegetable oil also.

What You Will Need

• Mixing bowls

• Measuring cups

• Sharp knife

• Cutting board

• Cooking spoon for mixing on stove top

Ingredients

10 Bone in Chicken thighs with skin

1 Stock of celery

1 Yellow Onion

2 Green bell peppers

2 Jalapenos

2 Cups of cut okra

4 minced garlic cloves

2 packs of13oz Smoked turkey sausage or regular smoked sausage

6 to 8 bay leaves

1 quart chicken broth or chicken stock

salt & pepper (optional)

Rice (optional)

Roux Ingredients

1 Cup gluten free flour or regular all purpose flour

1 Cup light or classic olive oil

Instructions

1. Start by browning the chicken. You may want to put a small amount of oil in the pan for it not to stick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cracked pepper is best. Remember your not cooking it just brown it and set it aside.

2. Start cutting the veggies up. After cutting place the celery, onion, bell peppers, and jalapenos in a bowl and set aside. After cutting the okra rinse it a little. You can pat dry if you want to but not necessary. The okra will help thicken the gumbo. Add the okra to the bowl of veggies. Set the bowl aside. Cut up the sausage place it in a separate bowl then set aside.

3. Next lets start the roux . Heat the oil till it's hot. Do not put the heat higher than medium heat. Slowly whisk in flour. Do not leave the stove. Continue to stir for at least 30 minutes. For darker roux stir for 45 minutes or more until dark.

4. When the roux is done mix the veggie bowl in then stir. Next add the garlic, chicken, bay leaves and sausage into the pot. Pour in chicken broth/stock and stir. If you are using unsalted chicken broth add a little salt to the pot. If you need a little more chicken broth to make sure everything cooks right add enough to make sure everything will cook right. Cover and simmer for at least 3 hours. For best results simmer 5 hours. occasionally stirring. Then enjoy! You can eat as is or serve over rice.

Extra tips

Remember as I told you earlier DO NOT use extra virgin olive oil. This very important to remember it will literally ruin the whole thing. Also remember not to use almond or coconut flour for this recipe. If you are like me and like things spicy you can always add in more jalapenos. 2 is the number I use for the kids or anyone who doesn't like things spicy. 2 is just for flavor so if you want to add spice throw in the seeds of the jalapenos or add 1 or 2 more. This is loaded with flavor but if you need some more spice you could always add in cayenne or file. If the chicken broth doesn't cover everything enough to cook it then just add some more. Don't worry about it not having that thick gumbo look, it will thicken as it cooks. The okra helps thicken it as well. Another thing is to remember is when buying the chicken make sure you get the bone in thighs. This adds tons of flavor. When cooked like this it will fall off the bone. You can easily remove the bones when serving. Using the tongs when browning the chicken makes it very easy to flip.