Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Updated Nov. 25, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, cut into serving pieces
- Salt to taste if desired
- 1teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1¼teaspoons finely ground white pepper
- 1teaspoon powdered mustard
- 1½teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1½teaspoons paprika
- 1teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1teaspoon file powder, optional
- 1½cups flour
- 2½cups corn, peanut or vegetable oil
- ¾cup finely chopped onion
- ¾cup finely chopped celery
- ¾cup finely chopped green pepper
- 9cups chicken broth
- 1¾cups chopped or thinly sliced smoked sausage such as andouille or kielbasa
- 1bay leaf
- 1teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
- 2cups cooked rice
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
1611 calories; 131 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 83 grams monounsaturated fat; 24 grams polyunsaturated fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 50 grams protein; 2040 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put chicken pieces in a bowl. Blend salt, peppers, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika, granulated garlic and file powder. Rub four teaspoons of the mixture over the chicken. Set rest of spice mixture aside.
- Step 2
Put the flour in a bowl and add two teaspoons of the reserved spice mixture. Blend well.
- Step 3
Heat a 10-inch skillet and add the oil. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat well, shaking off excess. Reserve the leftover flour.
- Step 4
When the oil is hot and almost smoking, add the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook about two minutes on one side until golden brown. Turn and cook about three minutes on the second side until nicely browned. Do this in batches so as to not crowd the pan. Drain thoroughly on paper towels.
- Step 5
Pour off all but one cup of fat from the skillet. Heat this oil over high heat until it is almost smoking and add the reserved seasoned flour. Stir rapidly and constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture is golden brown. Do not burn. This is a roux.
- Step 6
Add the chopped onion, celery and green pepper to the roux and stir to blend well. Remove from the heat.
- Step 7
Meanwhile, bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Step 8
Add about half a cup of the roux mixture to the broth, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Continue adding the roux mixture, half a cup at a time, always stirring rapidly and constantly.
- Step 9
Add the smoked sausage and stir. Cook over high heat, stirring often from the bottom, about 15 minutes.
- Step 10
Add the chicken pieces, bay leaf and finely minced fresh garlic. Cook about 40 minutes, on medium-low, stirring occasionally.
- Step 11
Remove the chicken pieces. Cut the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Cut the chicken into cubes or shred it and add it back to the pot. Serve with white rice or potato salad (or both) spooned into the gumbo.
Private Notes
Comments
A roux trick from John Besh: Get your oil quite hot, almost to the smoke point, and then toss in the flower and stir like crazy. You will get a milk chocolate colored roux in about 7-10 minutes of constant, thorough stirring or whisking, then toss in the onions, which will cool the roux so it's no longer in danger of burning, and as they sweat and release their sugars, the sugars will caramelize and turn the roux a dark mahogany color with a glossy sheen. Add the other aromatics and proceed.
Plese do not cook file. You don't cook File. Period! Google it.
Bones add flavour and gelatine and help prevent overcooking. They are easy to remove once the meat is cooked.
Here’s a really stupid question from an amateur up north. Am I allowed to substitute Cajun seasoning like slap your mama instead of all these spices?
My mother was a great cook, for a family of 9, with simple non-spicy trinity-seasoned iron-skillet family-style New Orleans--and no recipes. She rouxed all the time. She didn't teach us how to cook, but the siblings learned her magic by watching. I am 78, have studied recipes and techniques all my adult life, and am constantly refining My Perfect Recipe Book. In retirement I moved from being a theoretical cook to the practice. ... So far the siblings continue to smirk.
I forgot to dredge the chicken pieces in flour but probably a good thing because the seasoning was already very peppery. I skipped the Cayenne since I'm cooking for kids. This was delicious, don't skip the gumbo file, it adds a nice thickness and woody flavor. I agree, a cooking class in New Orleans said to add file at the table, not to the gumbo. I have a laurel (bay) leaf tree in my backyard and was able to harvest fresh, young leaves that cooked down nicely like greens into my gumbo.
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