Chicken And Sausage Gumbo

1 lb hot smoked sausage, cut into 1/4" slices 
4 chicken breast halves, skinned 
1/4-1/3 cup vegetable oil 
3/4 cup all purpose flour 
1 cup chopped onion 
1/2 cup chopped green pepper 
1/2 cup sliced celery 
2 quarts hot water 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
2 bay leaves 
2 tsp creole seasoning 
1/2 tsp dried whole thyme 
1 tbs worcestershire sauce 
1/2-1 tsp hot sauce 
1/2 cup sliced green onions 
1/4 tsp salt(optional) 
hot cooked rice 
gumbo file(optional) 

brown sausage in a dutch oven over medium heat. Remove to paper towels, leaving drippings in dutch oven. Brown chicken in drippings, remove to paper towels, reserving drippings. Measure drippings, adding enough vegetable oil to measure 1/2 cup. Heat dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add flour to hot oil, cook, stirring constantly, until roux is the color of chocolate( about 30 minutes). Add onion, green pepper, and celery, cook until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Gradually stir in water, bring to a boil. Return chicken breast to dutch oven, add garlic and next 5 ingredients. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, an additional 30 minutes. Add salt, if desired. Bone chicken breasts, and cut into strips. Add to gumbo, and cook thoroughly heated. Remove bay leaves, serve gumbo over rice. Sprinkle with gumbo file, if desired. Serves 8.