Cajun Chicken Gumbo

No Southern recipe book would be complete without this old recipe from Louisiana.

2 Chicken fryers, cut up
1 lb sliced okra
2 large onions, diced
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup flour
3 quarts water

In a large iron skillet, brown oil and flour to make a golden brown roux. Add 1/2 of the diced onion. Add chicken and cook in roux until chicken turns tan. Place chicken and roux in a large dutch oven or pan on medium heat. Add 3 quarts water to dutch oven or pan and cook until chicken is tender, about an hour. Remove chicken and bone - then return to roux.

In the iron skillet, smother okra and other 1/2 of diced onion in a small amount of oil. Do not brown. Water may be added to keep okra from sticking. Cook over low heat until all the slime is cooked from okra. Add okra/rice  to chicken mixture. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Serve over cooked rice.

Serves 6 to 8.