<span data-slate-fragment="JTVCJTdCJTIydHlwZSUyMiUzQSUyMnBhcmFncmFwaCUyMiUyQyUyMmNoaWxkcmVuJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIydGV4dCUyMiUzQSUyMkNoaWNrZW4lMjBHdW1ibyUyMFNvdXAlMjBpcyUyMGluc3BpcmVkJTIwYnklMjByaWNoJTIwYW5kJTIwaGVhcnR5JTIwQ3Jlb2xlJTIwR3VtYm8uJTIwRWFjaCUyMHNhdm9yeSUyQyUyMHNtb2t5JTJDJTIwc3BpY3klMjBzcG9vbmZ1bCUyMGlzJTIwcGFja2VkJTIwd2l0aCUyMGZsYXZvciElMjIlN0QlNUQlN0QlNUQ=">Chicken Gumbo Soup is inspired by rich and hearty Creole Gumbo. Each savory, smoky, spicy spoonful is packed with flavor!</span>
Try my updated Jambalaya Soup!
My Dad has made his version of gumbo since I was a child. I say “his version” because he’s from Ohio, we live in Iowa, and so authentic it is not.
Though delicious, it IS.
A spicy, tomato-forward broth contains chicken, bacon, and the holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers. Flavored with a Creole seasoning blend then slowly simmered over the course of an afternoon, it’s a dish I think about warmly.
So much so that I decided to marry it with my love of quick and easy soups to create Chicken Gumbo Soup!
Essentially all I did was add more broth to my Dad’s (again, non-authentic!) Gumbo recipe, then cooked long grain white rice inside of it.
When I tell you I practically lick my bowl clean every time I make this! It is SO delicious, and a quicker and easier way to satisfy a craving for Creole-style Gumbo.
How to Make Chicken Gumbo Soup
Start by browning chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate then set aside, leaving 2 Tablespoons bacon drippings in the pot.
To the drippings add chopped bell pepper, celery, and onion. Season the vegetable with salt and pepper then saute until they’re tender, 8-10 minutes.
To the softened veggies add chicken breasts that have been cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper then saute for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic then saute for another minute.
Next add store-bought Cajun/Creole seasoning or homemade Creole Seasoning — I love Emeri’s blend. The seasoning blend will add color and spicy flavor to the soup.
Sprinkle gluten-free flour over the chicken and vegetables then stir to combine and cook while stirring until the flour turns golden brown, about 3 minutes.
This process creates a roux which gives the soup a rich, decadent flavor and velvety texture.
Next, slowly stream in chicken broth while stirring with a hard spatula or wooden spoon, scraping up any brown bits that have accumulated on the bottom of a pot. This is where all the flavor lies!
Add 28oz crushed tomatoes, and water.
Plus bay leaves and crushed red pepper flakes. Feel free to dial the red pepper flakes up or down depending on your spice tolerance.
Turn the heat to high to bring the soup to a simmer then add long grain rice and stir to combine.
Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat down to low, then let the soup simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is just barely tender, as it will continue cooking in the hot liquid/pot.
Stir every couple of minutes to make sure the rice isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Last step is to stir the cooked bacon back into the soup then let it sit and thicken off the heat for about 10 minutes. Finally, scoop and savor!
You are going to love each savory, spicy spoonful of this gumbo-inspired soup! Feel free to reduce the amount of chicken and add chopped andouille sausage or kielbasa for a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Soup.
From my Iowa kitchen to yours — enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, seeded then chopped
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1-1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into-bite sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Cajun/Creole seasoning, see notes
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more or less
- 1 cup long grain white rice, Lundberg White Jasmine Rice recommended
Directions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon then brown and remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve bacon fat in the pot, adding extra extra virgin olive oil if necessary to have 2 Tablespoons fat in the pot total.
- Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery to the pot then season with salt and pepper and saute until softened, 8-10 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add to the pot with the Cajun seasoning and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic then cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and chicken then stir to combine and cook while stirring constantly until the flour turns golden brown, 3 minutes. Slowly stream in the chicken broth while stirring and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, bay leaves, red chili pepper flakes, and salt then turn the heat up to high to bring the soup to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add the rice then stir to combine and cover the pot with a lid. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until rice is just barely tender (it will continue to cook and soften in the hot soup.) Add cooked bacon back into the soup then let it sit and thicken off the heat for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.
Notes
- I use Emeril's recipe for Creole Seasoning for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Hi Kristen, quick question, do you add the bacon back in to the soup or is it just cooked for the fat and flavor?
Great catch, Jennifer! Add it back in when the rice is done cooking.
Thank you!!
This sounds like it packs soo much flavor! I’ve been craving soup lately now that it’s finally cold in California. Gumbo sounds like a perfect solution :)
This is technically not a gumbo. Gumbos are roux based. This is more of a creole.
Is this a dumb question? Maybe. Did you cook the chicken with the veggies or did you throw it in already cooked?
Nope it was uncooked!
Kristin, if want some good Cajun food try FAT TUESDAYS on S.W.9TH, one block north OF ARMYPOST RD. The owner/cook is from NOLA. check it out.
Cool, thanks Steve! I will check them out!
Looks delish!! When I go to put it in my recipe box the apple cheddar chicken tartines shows up!
I’m so sorry about that, Marissa! ZipList is having some issues right now. Did you try and save it from the homepage (https://iowagirleats.com) or the actual post (https://iowagirleats.com/2012/11/14/chicken-gumbo-soup/)? Thanks for your help with this!
IGE saves the day! I was looking for a breakfast casserole to make. Check that off the list. Next,I could not find the printed copy of your Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breats with Wild Rice Stuffing that I want to make for Thanksgiving dinner! I “misplace” recipes now and then. My system is not fool proof. Are they on the end table by the couch where I sit and browse? Is in with the many other print outs downstairs? Did I stick it in a cooking magazine or cookbook to mark a page? Is it on the kitchen table with the other recipes I hope to make? The panic/frustration was starting to set in even though I knew the recipe would be online and my husband kept telling me to quit looking for it and it would show up. Sure enough here it is online, safe and sound. Thanks, Kristin!
Ah! Glad to hear it worked out in the end! I hate misplacing things (which happens all the time!)
Printing this right now!
I can’t remember the last time I had gumbo let alone made it – this looks delicious!
Hi Kristin!! I thought I would respond and help clarify your confusion with jambalaya and gumbo so maybe Ben doesn’t have to next time :) Jambalaya is rice based and can be mixed with various meats but it’s always rice. Kinda similar to pasta salad. In fact, we do make some pastalaya sometimes down here. Gumbo is like a soup and is generally roux based. Your addition of tomatoes makes this a Creole version rather than a Cajun version. Hope that helps!!
YUM!! This is totally going on my shopping list after Thanksgiving :) Also, I love that you continue to post daily treadmill workouts. It is so difficult to stay motivated during the cold, winter months in the Midwest (I live in MN). THANKS!
Kristin, Did you cook the chicken before you threw it in the pot? It looked cooked in the picture so I wasn’t sure if you just took the pic after it had cooked a little or cooked the chicken ahead of tim. Thanks this recipe looks amazing!
Nope it went in raw and then cooks for 5 minutes, then finishes cooking in the broth, water, and crushed tomatoes!
Hi Iowa Kristin, it’s North Dakota Kristin! :) This soup looks so delicious; however, I don’t like chunks of tomato in my soup (it’s a texture thing, not a taste thing), what would you recommend I substitute for the crushed tomatotes?
Thanks a bunch!
PS – Love your blog!
Ew, totally agree – gag! Crushed tomatoes aren’t chunky but if it’s still too much for you, I’d just zip the can through a blender or food processor first!