Chicken Gumbo Filé

• 1 (5-pound) stewing hen, cut up
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 (12-ounce) container Standard oysters, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion tops
• 2 teaspoons file powder
• Hot cooked rice

1. Brown chicken in hot oil in a large stock pot. Remove chicken and set aside, reserving pan drippings in stock pot.
2. Add flour to pan drippings; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 50 minutes or until roux is the color of a copper penny. Add chopped onion, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Gradually add 3 quarts water to roux, stirring until well blended. Add reserved chicken, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Add oysters and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes; stir in parsley and onion tops and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Stir in file powder to thicken gumbo. Ladle gumbo over hot cooked rice in individual serving bowls and serve immediately.

stewing hen, vegetable oil, flour, onion, water, salt, pepper, oysters, parsley, green onion, filue powder, rice

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-gumbo-fil (may not work)