CAJUN CHICKEN SAUSAGE GUMBO RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Sprinkle both sides of chicken breast with 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste.
• Grill chicken breast and pork sausage on the preheated grill until browned and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut chicken and sausage into bite-size pieces.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the farfalle pasta at a boil, stirring occasionally, until cooked through yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic in hot butter until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir chicken and sausage pieces into vegetables, reduce heat to medium-low, and pour 1 cup half-and-half into skillet. Stir to combine.
• Mix cornstarch into remaining 1/2 cup half-and-half in a small bowl until smooth; pour into skillet and stir until sauce simmers and thickens, about 5 minutes. Toss cooked farfalle pasta into mixture until coated; season with additional Cajun seasoning and dried basil.

Steps:

• Put chicken pieces in a bowl. Blend salt, peppers, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika, granulated garlic and file powder. Rub four teaspoons of the mixture over the chicken. Set rest of spice mixture aside.
• Put the flour in a bowl and add two teaspoons of the reserved spice mixture. Blend well.
• Heat a 10-inch skillet and add the oil. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat well, shaking off excess. Reserve the leftover flour.
• When the oil is hot and almost smoking, add the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook about two minutes on one side until golden brown. Turn and cook about three minutes on the second side until nicely browned. Do this in batches so as to not crowd the pan. Drain thoroughly on paper towels.
• Pour off all but one cup of fat from the skillet. Heat this oil over high heat until it is almost smoking and add the reserved seasoned flour. Stir rapidly and constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture is golden brown. Do not burn. This is a roux.
• Add the chopped onion, celery and green pepper to the roux and stir to blend well. Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Add about half a cup of the roux mixture to the broth, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Continue adding the roux mixture, half a cup at a time, always stirring rapidly and constantly.
• Add the smoked sausage and stir. Cook over high heat, stirring often from the bottom, about 15 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces, bay leaf and finely minced fresh garlic. Cook about 40 minutes, on medium-low, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the chicken pieces. Cut the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Cut the chicken into cubes or shred it and add it back to the pot. Serve with white rice or potato salad (or both) spooned into the gumbo.