Chicken Sausage Okra Gumbo

[Kitchen Witch]

Chicken Sausage Okra Gumbo

* 3 to 4 lb chicken cut up
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 lb sliced okra
* 1/2 cup flour
* 1 gallon water
* 1/2 to 1 lb smoked sausage
* 1 lb chicken gizzards cut up
* 2 med. onion chopped
* 1/4 bell pepper chopped
* 1 whole bulb garlic chopped
* 2 tb chopped parsley
* 1 tb sugar
* 16 oz. can tomato paste
* 3 large tomatoes or a 16 oz can of whole tomatoes
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 pinch thyme
* 1 tb gumbo file'
* salt and pepper to taste

Brown chicken pieces in some of the oil; remove from pot. Brown okra and remove from pot. Add remainder of oil and flour, stirring constantly until roux is a rich brown. Add okra and water to roux, blending well. Add chicken, sausage, gizzards, and remaining ingredients except file'. Salt and pepper top taste. Cook for 1 & 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir in file' during the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
Serve with hot cooked rice in soup bowls.