Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo made with a deep brown roux, tender chicken thighs, smoky andouille sausage, fresh okra, the Holy Trinity, and Cajun seasonings for a rich and comforting Louisiana-inspired meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 45

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun, Creole, Southern

Servings: Servings

Calories: 534kcal

Author: Jeremy Klae

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Roux:

1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup Vegetable oil

For the Gumbo:

4 Celery ribs diced
2 Green Bell Peppers diced
1 Large Yellow Onion diced
4 Green Onions sliced
12 Oz Fresh Okra sliced, stems removed
1 Bunch Fresh Italian Parsley Chopped
2 tablespoon Fresh Minced Garlic
2 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
8 Cups Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon Hot Sauce Louisiana or Crystal
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon Chicken Bouillon Powder
½ teaspoon Filé Powder
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
3 Bay Leaves
12 Oz Andouille sausage sliced, cubed
6 Chicken Thighs Boneless, Skinless
Cooked Rice for serving

Instructions

Ingredient Prep

Cut the Andouille sausage into small pieces and set it aside.
Dice the onion, green bell peppers, and celery and combine them in a mixing bowl.
Chop the parsley, slice the okra and green onions, and set each of those aside as well.
In a separate cast-iron skillet from the Dutch oven we’ll be using for the gumbo, cook the Andouille sausage until it’s nicely browned on all sides. Once it’s browned, remove it from the skillet and set it aside.

For the Roux and Gumbo

In a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the vegetable oil.
Gradually begin sprinkling in the flour while stirring constantly.
Continue stirring the roux over medium-low heat and be patient. Depending on your stove and how dark you like your roux, this can take upwards of an hour or possibly even a little longer. As it cooks, you’ll see the roux gradually move through different shades of brown. You're looking for something around a medium brown, similar to milk chocolate, with a rich, nutty, almost buttery aroma.
Once the roux reaches that beautiful milk-chocolate color, immediately add the onion, bell pepper, and celery.
Keep stirring as the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the fresh minced garlic and cook until aromatic.
Stir in the chicken bouillon powder, Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, and filé powder.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.
Slowly pour in the chicken stock while continuing to stir. Make sure you scrape along the bottom of the Dutch oven and work everything together until the roux is completely incorporated into the stock and you have a smooth base for the gumbo.
Add the chopped parsley and sliced green onions, followed by the browned Andouille sausage giving it all another good stir.
Cover the Dutch oven and bring the gumbo to a boil.
Carefully add the chicken thighs and bay leaves ensuring the chicken is fully submerged.
Cover the pot, and let everything cook for about an hour.
After an hour, remove the chicken thighs and bay leaves.
Discard the bay leaves, then shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the sliced okra.
Reduce the heat and let the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo simmer for another 45 minutes.
Serve it hot with cooked white rice, a side of homemade Southern cornbread, and, of course, some Louisiana or Crystal Hot Sauce.

Video

Notes

Get everything ready before you start the roux. Once you're making it, it needs your full attention. Have your Holy Trinity chopped and sitting nearby so you can add it as soon as the roux is ready.
Don't walk away from the roux. It can go from beautifully dark to burnt surprisingly quickly. Keep stirring and watch the color carefully, especially toward the end.
If the roux burns, start over. Burnt roux gives the entire gumbo an unpleasant bitter flavor, and adding the remaining ingredients won't fix it.
Use vegetable oil, not bacon grease. I originally tested this recipe with bacon grease, which is why you'll see it in the ingredient photo, but I burned that first roux. Switching to vegetable oil made it much easier to get a consistent dark roux.
Chicken thighs are ideal for gumbo. They hold up well during the simmer and stay tender and flavorful.
Gumbo gets even better with time. Like many soups and stews, the flavors continue developing as it sits. Leftovers the next day are fantastic and even better than the freshly made batch, in my opinion.

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