Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 pounds skinless
• boneless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup (or more) vegetable oil
• 1 pound andouille or other spicy smoked sausage
• cut into 1/2" rounds
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 medium onions
• finely chopped
• 4 scallions
• thinly sliced (white and pale parts separated from dark)
• 2 celery stalks
• finely chopped
• 2 green bell peppers
• finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 8 cups low-salt chicken broth

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine 1 tablespoon salt and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle all over chicken.

2. 2

   Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.

3. 3

   Working in batches, sear chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.

4. 4

   Transfer to a plate.

5. 5

   Add sausage to pot; cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.

6. 6

   Transfer to plate with chicken.

7. 7

   Strain drippings from pot through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-cup heatproof measuring cup; reserve 1 cup drippings, adding more oil if needed to measure 1 cup.

8. 8

   Wipe pot clean; return drippings to pot.

9. 9

   Heat drippings over medium heat.

10. 10

    Whisk in flour.

11. 11

    Whisk constantly until roux is the color of milk chocolate, 15-20 minutes.

12. 12

    Reduce heat to low; add onions.

13. 13

    Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.

14. 14

    Stir in white and pale-green parts of scallions and next 3 ingredients.

15. 15

    Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes.