It’s fall, and it’s finally cool enough to switch from salads back to soups and stews, and I’ve been waiting for months to make this recipe for chicken gumbo.
This recipe is a good use for chicken thighs or those cheap leg quarters I mention from time to time. This version of chicken gumbo calls for 2 -3 pounds of bone-in chicken.
This recipe was originally published in 2011 but significantly updated the technique in 2023 to account for how it has evolved in our household. I used to stew the chicken to create the broth, but I have found I prefer the flavor of using the stock I have on hand. The original technique/recipe I learned from my stepfather.
Tip: How to make chicken stock – using Better than Bouillon or chicken bouillon cubes works really well, too.
Don’t forget that chicken gumbo is usually served over plain cooked rice, which isn’t mentioned in the ingredient list.
In our home, a bowl of gumbo is a bowl of love. We hope you feel the same way about it, too.
Chicken Gumbo
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 lbs bone-in, chicken (I use thighs but any parts will do)
- 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP peanut oil
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, with leaves, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 lb andouille sausage sliced into thin coins
- 2 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 bottle dark beer, optional
- 1.5 - 2 quarts chicken broth or stock
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 lb frozen okra pieces
- 1 teaspoon file seasoning
- Salt to taste (will depend on if homemade or commercial stock was used)
- Hot Sauce (Tabasco or my favorite Louisiana Hot Sauce)
Instructions
- Season the chicken with a teaspoon of Cajun or Creole seasoning.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat, and place the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook for approximately 3 - 5 minutes a side.
- In a heavy 6 quart pot, heat the 1/4 cup oil and flour over medium heat, constantly stirring until the mixture (roux) smells toasted and becomes a color between peanut butter and milk chocolate. The color is based on your preference.
- Add the diced onions, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. Cook until the onion begins to soften. Add the remaining Cajun seasoning and garlic.
- If you have opted to use the beer, add it to the roux slowly, stirring constantly., Add the bay leaves
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it on a plate to cool slightly.
- Add the sliced sausage to the skillet and cook over medium heat.
- Separate the chicken from the skin and bones. It is ok if it is not fully cooked at this point. Cut or pull it into bite-size pieces and drop those into the pot.
- When the sausage has cooked, transfer the sausage, but not the drippings to the pot.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the okra to the pot and the file seasoning
- Adjust salt to taste
- Serve over rice
Sounds like a wonderful fall recipe certainly worth trying. What are the measurements for the okra and tomatoes (and they’re preparation) since they are missing from the ingredient list? Thanks!
@Mira7 Sorry about that, I put the recipe into the post 3x due to an issue and must have missed them on the last go-round. 1 lb frozen okra pieces, 2 tomatoes, diced, I’m fixing this right now.
Can you substitute canned diced tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes? Thanks.
@Lindsey1 absolutely