Chicken & Chorizo Gumbo

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons plain flour

Salt & pepper

4 chicken thighs (about 1 kg), bone-in, skin removed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 good-quality chorizo sausages (about 200g), cut into 1cm thick rounds

1 onion, chopped

1 red capsicum, deseeded and chopped

2 celery stalks, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 fresh bay leaves

6 spring onions, white and green parts separated, finely sliced on an angle

1 teaspoon sweet paprika, plus extra to serve

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 x (400g) can whole peeled tomatoes

500ml (2 cups) chicken stock

1 corn cob, husks and silks removed, cut into 4 pieces

150g (¾ cup) long-grain rice, washed three times

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

Chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Gumbo is a Cajun one-pot specialty that I love to make as a mid-week wonder to please everyone. Traditionally, andouille sausage is used, but chorizo is more readily available and works brilliantly as a substitute. Be sure to flour your chicken first as it helps to thicken the sauce.

Method

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour and dust off the excess.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and place on a plate.

Add the chorizo, onion, capsicum, celery, garlic, bay leaves and spring onion whites to the pan. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelise with the sausage. Add the spices and dried oregano and stir to coat. Pour in the tomatoes and stock (using the stock to clean out the tomato juices left in the can). Season with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.

Add the corn to the sauce, then return the chicken and any juices that have collected on the plate to the pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cover with the lid. Cook for 35–40 minutes until the chicken pulls away easily from the bone. Add the rice and stir through, then cover and cook on low for 12–15 minutes until the rice is cooked and the sauce is thick.

Stir the vinegar into the gumbo and season to taste. Divide among serving bowls and scatter on the spring onion greens and parsley. Serve with a sprinkle of extra paprika.

Slow Cooker Method:

Follow steps 1, 2 and 3.

Place the vegetable and chorizo mixture in the slow cooker and add the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and add the corn and rice. Stir through and cook, uncovered, on high for a further 35–40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked, the sauce has thickened and the chicken pulls away easily from the bone.

Follow step 5.