Description
A classic Southern dish, Chicken Andouille Sausage Gumbo is a rich, flavorful stew featuring tender chicken, smoky andouille sausage, fresh okra, and a deeply browned roux. This comforting recipe simmers traditional Cajun spices and vegetables to create a hearty meal perfect served over steamed rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 2 pounds (908 g) boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh
- 2 quarts (1.9 L) water, to cook the chicken
Vegetables and Okra
- 1 pound (454 g) okra, cut into 1″ pieces, or frozen
- ½ cup (120 ml) water (for okra cooking)
- 1 ½ cup (206 g) yellow onion, ¼” dice
- 1 ½ cup (230 g) bell pepper, ¼” dice (mix of green and red)
- ⅓ cup (55 g) celery, ¼” dice
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) minced garlic
- 2 cups (454 g) diced canned tomatoes
Roux
- ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (68 g) all-purpose flour
Sausage and Seasonings
- 12 ounces (340 g) cooked andouille sausage, sliced ½”
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon (5 g) gumbo filé (Zatarain’s recommended)
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: In a medium-sized pot, place the chicken and cover it with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF (71ºC), about 20 to 25 minutes. Strain the broth and reserve it for later use.
- Shred the Meat: Remove the chicken from the pot and allow it to cool. Once cooled, shred the chicken into small pieces. Cover and set aside.
- Cook the Okra: In another medium pot, add the okra and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer while stirring occasionally until the okra is tender, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- Make the Roux: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture turns a dark brown color, about 15 minutes. Increase heat if needed to develop color, ensuring to stir continuously in the last 5 minutes to avoid burning.
- Saute the Vegetables: Add the diced onion, bell peppers, celery, and minced garlic to the roux. Sauté until all vegetables are tender and fragrant, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add Sausage, Okra, and Tomatoes: Stir in the cooked okra, diced tomatoes, and sliced andouille sausage. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
- Season the Gumbo: Add the dried bay leaf, thyme, basil, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper to the pot and mix well.
- Simmer the Gumbo: Pour in 4 cups of the reserved chicken broth. Loosely cover and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the gumbo thickens, about 30 minutes.
- Add the Chicken: Incorporate the shredded cooked chicken into the gumbo and continue simmering for an additional 15 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Add the Gumbo Filé: Turn off the heat and slowly sprinkle in the gumbo filé powder, stirring gently. Avoid boiling after this step to prevent a stringy texture. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add more chicken broth if a thinner consistency is preferred.
- Serve: Serve the gumbo hot, ideally over a bed of steamed white rice.
Notes
- Use dark roux for authentic flavor and color but be careful not to burn it.
- Gumbo filé powder is made from ground sassafras leaves and adds a unique flavor and helps thicken the gumbo; it should not be boiled.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for a juicier, more flavorful meat.
- If fresh okra is unavailable, frozen okra works well as a substitute.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to your preferred spice level.
- Serve over rice for a traditional Southern gumbo experience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
