Chicken in Gumbo - What do you use?

I prefer dark meat in my gumbo so I fry thighs and use them. I usually tear them apart and try not to shred them. I like pieces of dark meat in my gumbo and I like the flavor of fried chicken.

Also I usually fry one or two extra pieces and eat them while the gumbo cooks.

I throw raw chicken in gumbo all the time, as does just about anyone who cooks it regularly.

When I have time, yes, I prefer to smoke a chicken over pecan wood and then debone, use the bones and skin to make stock, and throw the cooked meat into the gumbo pot to give the entire pot a nice smokey flavor.

However, when I don't have time to go through all that, once I've made the roux and let it combine with my stock, I throw raw chicken into the pot.

Thighs

Brown the chicken then make the roux with the rendered chicken fat.

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Do most of you just buy a rotisserie chicken and shred up all the meat and toss it in?

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I use rotisserie chickens, but I don't shred the meat. I debone the chickens and use the bones/carcass to make the stock. Rotisserie chickens make a nice, rich stock.

Season thighs with cayenne, salt, pepper. Brown in pan. Still raw in middle when thrown into gumbo. Bring to boil for a minute or two, summer for a few hours. Degrease top layer of pot, debone thighs, shred if you want.

Can do same with breasts and gumbo won't have that layer of grease on the top of the pot.

I use rotisserie on weekdays when I am in a hurry.

This!

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I always use a whole Hen

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Do you take the raw whole hen and throw it into a pot to make the stock, then pull off the meat and discard the bones/skin?


Assuming I have all the time in the world, what makes the BEST gumbo?