In a large stock pot, brown the chicken thighs, skin down, to render all the fat into pan.
Remove chicken from pot. Remove skin and cut into 1 inch pieces. Brown sausage in the stock pot with chicken fat.
Remove browned sausage and make a roux.
Add 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup flour to pot.
Stir continuously on medium heat, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, for about 25 minutes until roux is the color of milk chocolate.
Add chopped vegetables and garlic to stock pot. Saute until soft and translucent.
Add chicken stock, Better Than Bouillon, thyme, bay leaves, cayenne, red pepper flakes and black pepper to pot.
Add sausage and chicken pieces back into pot.
Simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
Add in chopped green onions. Simmer another 20 minutes.
Ladle gumbo into bowls of rice.
Serve hot with crusty French bread and a crisp wedge salad.