Ingredients
3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound Uncle John’s Pride Southern Pride Hot Sausage, sliced into rounds about ¼ inch in width
5 cups sliced okra
3 cups corn
3 cups finely diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
One stalk of diced celery
One orange bell pepper, finely diced
One finely diced white onion
One jalapeno, seeded and diced
Two cloves of minced garlic
Two tablespoons creole seasoning
One tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
½ tablespoon of garlic powder
½ tablespoon onion powder
One teaspoon chili powder
One teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
One tablespoon vinegar
½ cup all-purpose flour (we suggest White Lily brand)
Extra virgin olive oil
Hot cooked rice or cornbread for serving
Preparation
You want to rinse the okra thoroughly before you begin to cut it into pieces. If you use frozen sliced okra, you can skip this step. Slice the okra into ½ inch chunks. In the meantime, heat four tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the okra and cook for about 15 minutes. This step is to remove the slime from the okra. Stir occasionally while cooking.
Add the one tablespoon of vinegar and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain the okra to remove all of the greases and transfer it to a bowl. Mix creole seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl. Set this aside. Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Season with one teaspoon of olive oil and two tablespoons of seasoning. Mix this well. Use the olive oil to be sure the seasoning sticks to the chicken.
Add one teaspoon of the seasoning blend to the all-purpose flour. Coat the chicken in flour, turning over to coat evenly. Keep the breading light and shake off excess flour. Add three tablespoons olive oil to a large pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the olive oil is sizzling, add the breaded chicken thighs. Brown for about 5 minutes per side. Transfer all of the cooked chicken to a bowl.
Add the smoked sausage to the hot oil on the stove top. Cook the smoked sausage for about 2 minutes on each side. It will become golden brown around the edges. When done the cooking, transfer to the same bowl as the cooked chicken. Add the celery, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno to the hot pan and saute for about 5 minutes. Next, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. To saute the remaining ingredients, add the remaining seasonings. Lastly, add the tomatoes, sauce, and broth. Cook everything for another 3 minutes. Scrape any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken and sausage back into the pot and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add the okra and corn to the pot and cook for 20 more minutes.