Selena Robins, Author

With autumn upon us, it’s time to break out the crockpot for soups, stews and chilis, and these past 18 months we’ve all become accustomed to dining at home more often.

One way to enhance dinners at home is by having theme nights.

Put on some jazzy tunes, pick up colorful beads (Dollar Store is great for picking up stuff like this) and transport your family and friends to New Orleans with this hearty, delicious, easy to make Chicken Sausage Gumbo.

INGREDIENTS

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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups sweet (or spicy) sausages, sliced about one inch thick
10 whole plum tomatoes, diced – OR – 1 can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1.5 cups raw or frozen okra, sliced
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
1 head of roasted garlic – OR – 2 raw garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup sweet pepper, chopped
1.5 cups white (or brown) rice, uncooked
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. celery seed
3 TBSP sweet paprika
1 TBSP dried thyme
3 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
salt to taste

STEPS:

• season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and brown them on both sides
• remove from heat and cut into bite sized pieces

• brown the sausage on all sides
• slice and set aside

• in a crock pot add: chicken, sausage, onion, sweet pepper, garlic, broth, water, red pepper flakes, celery seed, paprika, thyme, salt
• cook on LOW for five hours
• after five hours, add okra
• cook for additional one hour on LOW
• during last half hour of cooking, cook your rice
  
  

• stir and serve with rice
• garnish with chopped parsley