Chicken and Sausage Gumbo with Rice

My husband L-O-V-E-D this. So did the kid and I. It is tender chicken and yummy sausage in a delicious gravy you pour over rice. What's not to love? Serves 8 to 10.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo with Rice

GUMBO:
1 Tbsp butter
1 whole chicken, cut up and skinned*
1 - 1 1/2 lb sausage of your choice, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 c butter
3/4 c flour
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp + cajun or creole seasoning
1 tsp salt
8 c chicken broth**
2 bay leaves, optional
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

1. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with flour; set aside. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in large, heavy bottomed pot over med-high heat. Add sausage until browned; remove with slotted spoon and set on paper towel to drain. Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides; about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Turn heat down to medium. In the same pot, add 3/4 c butter and melt; stir in 3/4 c flour. Stir constantly, about 25 minutes, until roux turns dark brown like chocolate. Immediately stir in diced onion, bell pepper, and celery (this is known as the Holy Trinity, almost every cajun/creole dish begins with this). Stir until vegetables begin to wilt, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, cajun or creole seasoning, and salt.
3. Slowly, bit by bit, stir in chicken broth until well mixed; return chicken and sausage to pot and bring to a boil. Add bay leaves, if using. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for one and a half hours, or until meat falls off the bones. Skim off any fat that rises to the top.
4. Remove meat from bones. I do it while it's on the pot, but you can remove the chicken and do it that way. Return meat to pot and stir in chopped parsley. Add more cajun or creole seasoning if desired.

* You can also use 4 lb chicken parts, any combination.
** You can also use 8 c water with 8 tsp chicken bouillon.

RICE:
2 c long-grain white rice
4 c chicken broth or water
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf

Add ingredients to rice cooker, stir, and cook.
-OR-
Combine ingredients in 2-qt saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover; simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and let sit 5 minutes, covered. Discard bay leaf and serve, pouring gumbo and sauce over top.