This rich and meaty gumbo recipe is a no-fail crowd-pleaser!
Smoky Andouille sausage simmered with chicken, okra, and aromatic veggies in a roux-thickened broth. Serve with baked rice and biscuits for a hearty, flavorful meal!
This southern dish is a classic taste of New Orleans in a hearty, delicious one-pot meal.
The Best Gumbo
I spent some time in New Orleans taking food tours (and trying lots of different gumbos) and attending a couple of cooking schools to learn how to make a really great gumbo! It’s truly one of my favorite dishes and the ultimate comfort food.
Gumbo starts with a roux cooked until dark and fragrant. A roux is simply oil and flour which starts out light in color and is slow-cooked until the color darkens. This adds an incredible amount of flavor to the dish.
Ingredients/Variations
Gumbo is a substantial, slow-simmered stew. A steaming bowl of chicken and sausage gumbo is nothing short of pure comfort!
MEAT This recipe is made with smoked Andouille sausage, but any sausage will taste great. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked with the sausage, but use any chicken you have!
VEGGIES Okra is often included in the ingredients, adding texture and thickening the base. Other essentials are onion, bell pepper, and garlic, often referred to as the “holy trinity” of the region’s cuisine.
ROUX Flour is slow-cooked in oil to create a rich, nutty brown sauce. This part is important, it will flavor and thicken the whole dish to the right consistency.
SPICES Cajun spice gives this dish a subtle kick! Feel free to add more or less depending on how spicy you prefer your gumbo!
VARIATIONS Shrimp is sometimes cooked with the sausage and chicken. Add red or yellow bell peppers, corn, or tomatoes to give this dish a pop of color!
How to Make a Roux for Gumbo
The best gumbo starts with a nice dark roux. The process is simple.
- Heat oil over medium heat.
- Stir in flour.
- Continue stirring until the mixture is fragrant and reaches a deep brown, the color of beef gravy. This can take ½ hour or more.
How to Make Gumbo
Making gumbo from scratch is something worth putting a little time and love into. The results are so worth it!
- Make the roux (per recipe below).
- Add onion, pepper, and celery.
- Add in browned meats and broth, as well as okra and seasoning.
- Slow simmer until tender and thickened.
To Serve
Gumbo is best served over rice. Some people also like to add a scoop of potato salad to their gumbo.
We serve with cornbread to make sure we sop up every drop from the bottom of our bowls!
Tips for Success
- Roux for gumbo is made from equal parts flour with a high smoke point oil such as vegetable, corn, or peanut oil. (Not olive oil or butter)
- Cook and stir the roux until it becomes a nice deep brown color and becomes fragrant.
- Roux can burn easily so take your time, be attentive, and keep on stirring!
- Once the roux reaches the right color add the onions, celery and peppers (the holy trinity).
- Roux can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to four months.
Other One-Pot Wonders!
- Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Shrimp – perfect weeknight meal
- Easy Mushroom Stroganoff – ready in 30 minutes
- Ground Beef and Rice Casserole – budget-friendly
- Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta – comfort food
- Instant Pot Spaghetti – so easy to make
- CrockPot Beef Stew – set it and forget it
Did you love this Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Our Favorite Gumbo Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil plus 2 tablespoons
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs cubed
- 1 pound andouille sausage or smoked sausage, chopped
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 2 green bell peppers chopped
- 1 cup frozen okra chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons low sodium cajun seasoning I prefer homemade
- 6 to 8 cups chicken broth
- 4 green onions sliced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley divided
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken and sausage to the pot and cook until you get a deep crust. Do not stir too much.
- Remove the chicken and sausage from the pot and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup of oil and the flour to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, while whisking, until brown in color with a nutty fragrance.
- Once the roux reaches the desired color, add onion, celery, and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add okra, garlic, and seasonings and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The mixture will appear a bit stringy.
- Add the browned chicken and sausage and the broth to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Add green onions and half of the parsley. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until it reaches desired consistency.
- Remove bay leaves and serve over rice with remaining parsley.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Seafood
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Great taste and easy to make. Not a budget breaker. I will make this ofter.
Glad you enjoyed it, Alma!
Have made this several times. My 12 year old son begged for it. So good. He will eat the leftovers all week.
So happy to hear that, Angela!
We loved it!
So glad you loved this recipe Debbie!
I’ve used this as my base recipe a handful of times now, making tweaks for my preferred tastes. I’ve gotten great reviews from my friends! Premium Cajun seasoning definitely tastes better than budget – sounds obvious but here we are….
That is awesome, Adam. So glad you are enjoying getting creative with this recipe, we love to hear that!
Actually, onion, green pepper, and celery is considered the holy trinity with garlic considered as god. I am on a low sodium regimen and have been doing it long enough to pick and choose the ideas from various recipes/methods and adapt them to my needs. Thank you for some good ideas.