Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Begin by cooking the sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly until it reaches a browned color, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a separate bowl and reserve the rich juices left behind in the Dutch oven.

Next, cook the chicken in those same juices over medium heat until it's nicely browned on both sides, taking about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside for now.

Now, heat some oil in that same Dutch oven. Add a generous amount of flour; cook and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and develops a deep, rich color reminiscent of dark chocolate. Be extremely cautious not to let it burn, as that would require starting the process all over again.

Add chopped celery, onion, and bell pepper to the pot; cook and stir for about 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and continue cooking until it's fragrant, adding a couple of extra minutes to the overall time.

Stir in hot broth and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Add chicken breasts, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, thyme, pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the pot. Reduce heat and let it simmer occasionally until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, taking about 1 hour to complete.

Once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Add the reserved sausage back into the gumbo and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Shred the cooled chicken and add it to the gumbo, stirring gently. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

Finally, remove the gumbo from the heat and discard those bay leaves. Sprinkle a generous amount of file powder over the top and serve it over hot rice.