Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo with Okra

Course: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: American, Cajun, Creole, Soul Food

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 2 30

Total Time: 2 40

Servings: servings

Calories: 667kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Simple and authentic Louisiana gumbo filled with the Holy Trinity, seasoned chicken thighs, smoky sausage, and fresh okra

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Equipment

Ingredients

3 stalks celery
½ sweet yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley optional garnish
2 cups okra fresh or frozen
8 cloves garlic
1 pound Andouille sausage
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup flour
1 cup avocado oil
8 cups chicken broth or stock
3 bouillon cubes
3 bay leaves
hot sauce to taste

Instructions

Prep the Ingredients: Chop celery, onion, bell pepper, and parsley; trim and slice okra, and mince garlic. Slice sausage into roughly ⅓ inch rounds. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces then season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, thyme, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Line a baking dish or tray with paper towels and set aside.
3 stalks celery, ½ sweet yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, 2 cups okra, 8 cloves garlic, 1 pound Andouille sausage, 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Brown the Sausage: Heat Dutch oven or large pot on stove top over medium flame. Add sausage slices to heated pot and sear for about five minutes on each side. Remove sausage from pot and place on paper towel-lined dish to drain.
Cook the Chicken: Add half the chicken to the pot and cook through. Remove cooked chicken and place on dish with sausage then repeat the process to cook and drain the remaining chicken. Add a teaspoon or two of cooking oil to pot, if needed, between batches of chicken.
Make the Roux: Remove any burnt bits of seasoning from the pot, reduce heat to just below medium, then sift flour into pot and pour in avocado oil. Whisk the flour and oil vigorously until combined and free of lumps. Stir the roux regularly until it reaches a deep chocolate brown color (about 50-60 minutes)* See recipe notes.
1 cup flour, 1 cup avocado oil
Cook the Holy Trinity: Add the chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux and stir and saute it until fragrant and softened (about five minutes). Add in the garlic and cook for one more minute. Meanwhile, heat the broth in another pot or in the microwave until steaming (about five minutes).
8 cups chicken broth
Add broth to roux mixture, one cup at a time, stirring between each addition until smooth.
Finish the Flavor: Stir in bouillon powder, a few shakes of hot sauce, and bay leaves then bring mixture to a boil. You will notice foam on the surface of the gumbo after boiling–this is from the flour in the roux and will dissipate as it continues to cook.
3 bouillon cubes, 3 bay leaves, hot sauce
Reduce heat to medium-low then add chicken and sausage back to the pot and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes. Stir in sliced okra and cook for another five minutes then remove from heat.
Use a big kitchen spoon to skim fat off the surface of the gumbo and discard. Skipping this step will result in an oily gumbo with a greasy taste.
Taste test and add more seasonings and/or hot sauce to taste then serve with rice and saltine crackers or a scoop of potato salad. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Notes

Making the Roux

If you are new to making roux for gumbo, I recommend starting with a clean pot just so you can be sure it's not burning. My roux has bits of leftover seasoning from the chicken and sausage, which can be confusing if you don't know what to look for.
Roux requires near-constant stirring or movement in order to keep the flour from burning. I picked up a great tip from my food blogger friend Sense & Edibility - Stir the roux for 30 seconds then take a break for one or two minutes then repeat until roux reaches your desired color.

Preparation

I don't recommend making it any further than a day in advance. However, you can make the roux up to six months ahead of time and store it in the fridge or up to one year in the freezer! Just thaw it then reheat it gently and slowly so it doesn't split.

Storage

Let the gumbo come to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

You can freeze gumbo and it will keep for up to six months. I recommend freezing your gumbo in Souper Cubes in perfectly-sized portions for thawing and reheating later.

Nutrition