Slow Cooker Chicken 'n Rice Gumbo Soup

 

3/4

pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4

pound fully cooked smoked sausage, (two 5-inch sausages), chopped

2

medium celery stalks (with leaves), sliced (1 1/4 cups)

1

large carrot, chopped (3/4 cup)

1

medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1

can (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained

5

cups water

2

tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

1

teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1

package (10 ounces) frozen cut okra, thawed and drained

3

cups hot cooked rice

Red pepper sauce, if desired

• 1 Mix all ingredients except okra, rice and pepper sauce in 4- to 5-quart slow cooker.
• 2 Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in okra. Cover and cook on low heat setting 20 minutes longer.
• 3 Spoon soup over rice in soup bowls. Serve with pepper sauce.
  
  Note:
  This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.