Chicken and Rice Gumbo

Ingredients:
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs -- cut into 1- inch pieces
1/4 pound fully-cooked smoked sausage (two 5-inch sausages) -- chopped
2 medium stalks celery (with leaves) -- sliced
1 large carrot -- chopped
3 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 14 1/2 ounce can stewed tomatoes -- undrained
5 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 10 ounce package frozen cut okra -- thawed and drained
3 cups hot cooked rice -- for serving
Hot red pepper sauce


DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients except okra, rice and pepper sauce in 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW heat setting 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in okra. Cover and cook on LOW heat setting 20 minutes. Spoon rice into individual soup bowls; top with gumbo. Serve with pepper sauce.