Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Updated Nov. 25, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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.
I cooked the chicken on a rotisserie and pulled it apart just before adding it at the very end of cooking the gumbo. Much better chicken that way. As a result, I cut back the flour and oil to only 1/2 a cup each, and that worked out well too. Lastly, I added the file powder in three stages: 1/3 in Step 5; 1/3 toward the end of Step 10; and, 1/3 when serving. Not sure if it made any difference, as I have never cooked with file and, honestly, it was probably a year+ old.
I love gumbo. My recipe database has 16 different gumbo recipes in it. This is one of the best. Normally called a Winter Gumbo, made when fresh okra isn't available; this one substitutes file powder as the thickening agent. It takes a while to make, but is well worth the effort.
Really great flavor. I added okra instead of file because I have tons coming from my garden just now. Otherwise I stuck to the recipe. But the one whole cup of oil in the roux was a lot. The roux was beautiful and flavorful, but the gumbo was oily. I will make this again, but I think I'll try making the roux with less oil and hope for the best. Or, maybe try it with less of the roux (but the flavor was great, so...)