Low-Fat Chicken Gumbo (This is really good)

We make this ourselves, and it is wonderful - really savory and spicy. It's adapted from Cooking Light Magazine; theirs is a turkey gumbo and calls for canned, fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth. We used chicken and made our own chicken stock instead of using canned. They also call for sweet potatoes, but since we had none on hand we used white potatoes. All that said, here it is! :)


Spicy Chicken and Potato Gumbo

Serves 6
Serving size: 1-1/3 C. gumbo and 1/2 C. rice

1 (6-ounce) box long-grain and wild rice mix
2 (4-ounce) links hot turkey Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (1/4-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups chicken stock, skimmed of fat*
1 (14-1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes w/ green pepper
and onion, undrained
1 bay leaf, or 1 tsp. crushed dried bay leaves
2 cups chopped chicken
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

* We made chicken stock made from boiling a whole fryer chicken until the meat was falling off the bone. We removed the meat, set it aside in the fridge, and refrigerated the stock overnight. Then, we skimmed off the fat from the top. It's easier than it sounds. :)

INSTRUCTIONS:

While gumbo is cooking, cook the rice according to package directions, omitting any seasoning packets which might have come with it. Set aside, covered.

Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 1 minute.

Stir in flour; cook for 6 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Add sweet potato and next 5 ingredients (sweet potato through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add turkey and hot sauce; cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.

Discard bay leaf. Serve gumbo over rice.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 379 (18% from fat); FAT 7.5g (sat 2.3g, mono 2.2g, poly 2.3g); PROTEIN 27.3g; CARB 48.9g; FIBER 4.8g; CHOL 72mg; IRON 3.8mg; SODIUM 804mg; CALC 68mg