re: How to avoid shredded chicken in gumbo.

1. You can cook stock, roux, seasoning veggies that long if you feel like you need to, but not with your meat in there. The chicken only needs 1 - 2 hours.
2. You’re ruining your sausage. I understand you want that flavor in the liquid, but that’s extreme overkill. I actually add sausage after my chicken.
3. What I do: drop a whole chicken in a pot of seasoned water, with a couple stalks of celery, and a halved onion. Cook until chicken is done. Remove chicken to colander and let cool. Use the stock/broth you’ve just made as the liquid component of gumbo. Add to roux/trinity and boil/simmer for a couple of hours. Debone cooked chicken and add to pot w a few boneless skinless breasts diced up, along with sausage. Add okra if desired.