Seafood and Chicken Gumbo

Filé powder is made from ground dried sassafras leaves; it helps flavor and thicken the gumbo. If you’re using homemade chicken broth, you can skip Steps 1 and 2; simply omit the oil and add the bacon, chicken, onion, and celery to the slow cooker and proceed to Step 3.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
• 2 strips bacon, diced
• 4 chicken thighs, skin removed
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• ½ cup aromatic brown rice
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 cup frozen okra, thawed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• ⅓ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ⅓ pound scallops, quartered
• ⅓ pound cooked crabmeat
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons filé powder
• Salt, to taste

1. Bring the oil to temperature in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and chicken; fry the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Use tongs to move the chicken to a plate.
2. Add the onion and celery to the skillet; sauté for 10 minutes or until the onion is lightly browned.
3. Add the rice to the slow cooker and spread it over the bottom of the crock. Place the chicken pieces over the rice. Pour in the sautéed onion and celery. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, okra, broth, water, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Add the shrimp, scallops, crab, thyme, and parsley. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat to the slow cooker. Stir in the filé powder. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and the scallops are opaque. Salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.