Last week at my MOPS meeting the ladies at my table and I got to talking about family holiday traditions. While Ben and I are still dreaming up the traditions we want Lincoln to grow up with, I have fond memories of candlelit Christmas Eve services, opening one present from a family member on Christmas Eve, and playing card games while eating my Dad’s gumbo lunch on Christmas Day when I was young.
I know what you might be thinking. Gumbo? in Iowa? Heck yeah! Despite having zero ties to the south – he’s lived in Iowa for 25+ years and hails from Ohio – my Dad’s been making gumbo for decades. What can I say, it’s his thing!
While I don’t know what fun holiday traditions the future holds for my little family I’m pumped that it could now include my own version of homemade gumbo – the Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo I made for the gumbo cook off at Thanksgiving this year, and WON!
You guys, I want to shout this recipe from the rooftops – it is so dang delicious! If you’ve never had gumbo before then you are in for such a special treat.
Smoked Andouille sausage and tender shredded chicken combine in a full-flavored, Cajun spiced broth that becomes thick and glossy after simmering low and slow for over an hour. Scooped over fluffy white rice, no matter where you live you’ll feel like you’re in the French Quarter at a restaurant older than you are while enjoying a big bowl of this perfectly spicy gumbo. Ice cold Abita on the side, naturally, if only in your imagination.
That said, I based this recipe on the gumbos I’ve enjoyed on my travels down south to New Orleans, Charleston, and Savannah, where I ordered gumbo nearly as often as I ordered Shrimp and Grits. What can I say, a good gumbo speaks to my soul.
Whether you’re a seasoned gumbo eater, or new to the dish, promise me you’ll try this easy Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo. Rich, hearty, and warming, it’ll keep you cozy on the coldest of winter nights.
Start by browning 14oz Andouille sausage in 1 teaspoon grapeseed or vegetable oil in a 6+ quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Andouille sausage is similar to kielbasa, and is so, so delicious. It’s smoked, a touch spicy, and comes pre-cooked. All you need to do is slice then sear it up until golden-brown and sizzling.
I used Johnsonville brand which is gluten free.
Scoop the sausage onto a plate then set aside. Next season 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning on both sides. Place the thighs into the Dutch oven skin-side down then sear for 3-4 minute a side. They don’t have to be cooked through at this point.
Here’s the Cajun seasoning I used on the chicken thighs, by the way. We’ll also use it in a bit to season the gumbo as a whole. The blend of spices is perfect – I have, cough, three of these little canisters in my spice cupboard right now.
Transfer the seared chicken thighs to the same plate as the sausage then set aside.
Now it’s time to make the roux, which will thicken and flavor the gumbo. First though, take the Dutch oven off the heat to cool for a couple minutes. The roux is made from oil and flour and since the Dutch oven retains heat very well, we don’t want it to burn the roux.
After a couple minutes, return the Dutch oven to the burner over medium-low heat then add 3 Tablespoons oil and sprinkle in 6 Tablespoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour. Whisk constantly for the next 10-15 minutes until the roux has turned the color of caramel. Many gumbo recipes call for cooking the roux until it’s dark brown but I also like the flavor of a lighter roux (plus it takes less time to get there!)
Next add 1 chopped green bell pepper, 2 chopped celery stalks, and 1 large shallot or small onion that’s been chopped then saute until the vegetables are slightly tender, 5 minutes. I like using a wooden spoon with a flat edge to make sure the roux isn’t sticking to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Finally, add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste and 2 minced garlic cloves then saute for 1 more minute. I always keep extra tomato paste frozen in 2 Tablespoon segments in a plastic baggie. So easy to snap off a segment then throw it in the pot!
Next add a couple big glugs of low sodium chicken broth then start scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to loosen any bits. Just keep adding glugs and scraping.
Add the remaining chicken broth from 7 cups total then add 2 bay leaves and a few spices including 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon (or more or less) cayenne pepper. Add the sausage and chicken back into the Dutch oven, turn the heat up to high to bring the gumbo to a boil, and then turn the heat back down to medium and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours, occasionally skimming off the fat that raises to the top.
At this point your gumbo should be thick, rich, and luxurious – oh man!! Remove and discard the bay leaves, then take the chicken thighs out and discard the bones and skin. Shred the meat then add it back into the gumbo and stir to combine.
Scoop the gumbo over cooked white rice then devour!
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Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo
Description
Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo is a classic taste of the south. This mouthwatering recipe won me first prize at a family gumbo cook off!
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
- 14oz Andouille sausage, sliced into half moons
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 1-1/4lb)
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 6 Tablespoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using AP flour)
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 small celery stalks, chopped
- 1 large shallot or 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less, optional)
Directions
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 6+ quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage then saute until browned, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate then set aside. Season both sides of chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning then place skin side down in Dutch oven. Sear on both sides until golden brown, 3-4 minutes a side (does not need to be cooked through,) then transfer to plate with sausage and set aside.
- Remove Dutch oven from heat for a few minutes to cool slightly then place back over medium-low heat. Add remaining 3 Tablespoons oil then sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly until mixture is the color of caramel, 10-15 minutes (this is your roux.) Add bell pepper, celery, and shallot or onion then saute until vegetables are slightly tender, 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven often with a wooden spoon to make sure roux doesn't burn. Add garlic and tomato paste then saute for one more minute.
- Add a couple big glugs of chicken broth at a time to the Dutch oven, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any bits on the bottom. Add remaining chicken broth, remaining 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, sauteed sausage and chicken thighs then turn heat up to bring gumbo to a boil. Turn heat down to medium then simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours, occasionally skimming off the fat that rises to the top.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board then remove and discard skin and bones. Shred chicken then add back into the gumbo. Remove bay leaves then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve over cooked white rice.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
This recipe has got to be one of my favorites. Between the smoky Andouille sausage, buttery shredded chicken, and warming Cajun spices, this gumbo is packed to the max with flavor. Such a winner – enjoy!
One of my college roommates hailed from Louisiana and she would often make a big batch of gumbo for us to share. I never asked for her recipe so I will have to give this one a try.
I have a question about your roux. Whenever I make a roux, it immediately gets clumpy when I add in the flour, rather than staying smooth. Am I adding too much flour? Not enough fat? What’s your trick?
Sounds like maybe you don’t have enough fat in the pot, perhaps? There will be some fat leftover from the chicken + the 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil which will be plenty to sprinkle in the flour then whisk until smooth, which should only take 5 seconds or so.
Your recipe says 10-15 minutes after the roux directions. Does that mean to wisk for that long? My roux started to smell burnt.
Yep! Step two says to whisk constantly for 10-15 minutes.
Yes! Love the Napoleon Dynamite reference :) Unfortunately all of my holiday experiences at the Des Moines zoo have been filled with long lines. Lincoln looks adorable though – and what a patient boy!
I’ve always wanted to try gumbo but it always looks intense to try and make. But this looks simple and delicious! I’m going to have to finally give it a try!
My family also used to let the kids open one gift on Christmas Eve – love that tradition! This gumbo looks amaze too. I’m adding it to my recipe list!
OK… do you think I could make this ahead and reheat? travelling to my moms for the holidays and my sister is GF. We’ve been trying to come up with dishes that still seem festive, but are still GF and don’t feel like she’s missing out. Would love to make up a big batch and take to reheat.
For sure! You can reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. You might want to add a splash of chicken broth to help get it going – it will appear thick cold, but it actually doesn’t need too much extra liquid to thin back out.
What happened to the Save this Recipe button? Waah!
Hi Karla! Unfortunately ZipList closed shop as of December 10, but there is a way to transfer your recipes to Epicurious!
Ack! I had a ton of recipes saved there! Many times I cut and paste recipes into my own humongous recipe file (yay Dropbox and iPad!) but when in a hurry, it was so convenient to just hit Save Recipe. Waahh! Good thing you keep an archive. Off to cut and paste your Gumbo recipe……
I know :( You’re whole recipe box should still be recoverable, though – all is not lost! :)
When do you add the chicken back in?
Hi Linda! The last two step-by-step photos detail when to simmer then chicken then shred and add back in.
I love MOPS! And gumbo! :)
Never tried gumbo before, this looks delicious!
This looks yummy!
P.S. Napolean Dynamite is so hilarious!
Ooh! Kristin- where did you get your fabulous peacoat? Love that color on you as well:)
Hey Kristin…just thought I’d share. Johnsonville also makes a Chicken Andouille sausage in that same type of packaging (split rope). I’m OBSESSED with it. It’s become one freezer staples. Any time I want to whip up a pasta or something and I don’t have any chicken breasts or other meat thawed, I just pull that out and it thaws in no time. AND it’s delicious. You should give it a try!
Yum! And I love rice flour. I have used it for years to thicken recipes and make gravies. I’ve always found that it is less likely to “clump” and makes the smoothest roux. Definitely beats AP flour and tapioca starch in my opinion. BTW, I love your posts with Lincoln; they evoke such great memories of when my children were little!
This recipe screams freezer-ready to me, and as someone who is seven-ish weeks away from Baby, I’m definitely looking for good recipes that fall into that category. Any experience with freezing a batch or two for later?
I’ve never had gumbo, but this looks super tempting. And that picture of your boy running through the zoo just melts my heart.
Oh yes. This is the recipe I’ve been waiting for! Can’t wait to try this at home…need to find a good dutch oven first. Thanks for sharing!
The Johnsonville andouille is da-bomb! This looks so good, Kristin. If you don’t have a deathly hatred for okra I’d like to suggest throwing in bag of frozen pieces – it’s absolutely NOT slimy and adds an extra element of flavor and texture that I love in gumbo. = )
Ooo yummy, I’ll check that out! Thanks for the tip, Jamie!
Yum, this looks fantastic! Do you think it would be pretty straight forward to double the recipe, or should I just stick to making two batches?
Doubling should be no problem! You’ll probably want to saute the chicken in two batches then give everything a bit more time (veggies 7 minutes, simmering maybe 2 hours, etc.) Enjoy!
Made this last night. It was very tasty and filling! I found that the sauce wasn’t really thickening up, so I added 1 T more of rice flour and later a 1/4 tsp. of xantham gum. Perhaps I had too much fat left from the chicken and sausage in the pan? I dunno–you have to be flexible sometimes :-)
Yes, totally – way to think on the fly! I will say it does thicken up quite rapidly in the last 15 minutes or so. So glad you enjoyed it though!
I lived in Louisiana for several years and make a very good gumbo. I base mine off of the Tabasco recipe website and this has many similarities! I have been making it every Christmas Eve for several years now. Yum!
I lived in Louisiana for 13 years and learned to make gumbo down there. Since moving back to Iowa 20 years ago, making gumbo on Christmas Eve has been a tradition with my family. I make chicken and sausage gumbo as well. One year my daughter said, “Mom, I bet we are the only people having gumbo in Waverly on Christmas Eve.” I said to her, “I bet we are the only people in Iowa having gumbo on Christmas Eve.” It’s nice to know that someone else loves gumbo as much as we do and has it during the holidays also. My recipe is very similar to yours. Gumbo is so good! Thanks for sharing your recipe so that others can enjoy too.
What a sweet story – I love it! Enjoy your gumbo this Christmas Eve – I’ll be thinking about you guys! :)
Recipe looks amazing! Planning on giving it a try this weekend. I’m not having much luck when I try to print it out. Anything you can do on your end?
Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth – bummer, I’m sorry about that! I’m going to email you to see if we can get it working!
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Good question! I would for sure brown the meats, make the roux, and saute the veggies on the stovetop but you could probably transfer everything over to the crock pot to cook on low for 2-3 hours. Let me know if it works out, I’d love to try that in the future!
Ya, I could totally see why your gumbo won! Hello, DELICIOUS!!! Pinned.
PS Never mind the photo being out of focus, you are a beautiful mommy I have seen; and your little man is so cute!
My husband made this gumbo 3 nights ago and it was SOOOO GOOD!!! I wish it was healthy so we could make another batch right now!
Love you Site.
Anxious to try this gluten-free gumbo recipe.
Had no luck at finding it on your search bar. Fortunately, I had the complete address on my tablet and was able to type it all into my desk-top. My tablet won’t connect to my printer. Always something :)
This is different from one I made last year for my GF friend, sounds great.
David2
[Cooking for Men; how to Please your Lady]
Had to let you know this was AMAZING. Hubby’s alma mater is playing in a bowl game in Louisiana today so I figured it was appropriate to give this a whirl. Wow – every mouth at the table devoured it with only one adding his own extra kick via hot sauce and more cajun seasoning. I did omit the green peppers because I don’t care for them but threw in some chopped carrots for color. Served as suggested over white rice – just perfect. Thank you!
This was AH-MAZING! Tasted just like the gumbo we’d get at Heave on Seven when we lived in Chicago. Loved it!
I AM IN L-O-V-E WITH YOUR RED PEACOAT!!!! Where did you get it??
Thanks!! It’s a fuchsia pea coat from Banana Republic (last year,) though they seem to have similar ones every year!
We just made this for dinner a couple nights ago, and it was delicious! Congrats on the family gumbo prize — this recipe was great!
We have a batch of this simmering right now and we can’t wait until it’s ready :)
This recipe was so much easier and quicker to throw together than my usual gumbo recipe and it smells just as good, if not better!
I was unable to find andouille sausage so I substituted another kind of smoked sausage, but I’m not sure if it will be spicy enough.
Do you know of a substitute, or even another name that this kind of sausage might go by? I always like to try new recipes as written before I change anything.
Kielbasa is great if you can’t find andouille. It’s not spicy but is still very, very good!
this looks so yummy! I’m planning on trying it in the slow cooker tomorrow, but I don’t have the Cajun spice blend. Do you know what spices it includes so I can substitute? Thanks!
Here’s a recipe for a homemade blend! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cajun-spice-mix-2/
Hi there! This looks great. My fiancé and I try to stay away from nitrates/nitrites which unfortunately the Johnsonville sausage contains. We also stick with turkey and chicken…do you think a hot Italian turkey sausage would be a complete and utter abomination?
I know it would be nowhere near “authentic,” (my apologies to the hardcore gumbo fans out there) but I also don’t know if the spices would clash and leave me disappointed. Your thoughts are most appreciated!
Hi Hailey! You hit the nail on the head – I think the spices in Italian sausage would clash with the rest of the flavors in the dish. That said, you could swap the sausage for shrimp. The flavor won’t be quite the same but you’ll still have another protein in there besides chicken!
Hey! That’s a great idea. I may try it with shrimp when I finally make it. Thank you! :)
Hey Kristin – I just wanted to report in; I made this last night (I actually found a Chicken Andouille sausage that’s nitrate AND nitrite free!) and I have to say, it’s one of the best dishes I’ve made. Absolutely unbelievable – as a Michigander, this is the first southern dish I’ve ever had, let alone made, and it was so, so delicious. My fiancé and I thank you for what will be a regular meal for us. Made it with a copycat Smokey Bones cornbread/butter. Comfort food to the max. I did make my own cajun seasoning that I will cut the salt from next time around because it was quite salty already with the chicken broth. Thank you so much! :)
I was lucky enough to get a crock pot ninja for Christmas, which has both stove top and slow cooker modes. I’m trying this in that since our day is busy enough that we don’t have 1.5 hours when I can keep an eye on the stove. I’ll let you know of it works well in crock pot mode :-)
Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe. I quadrupled the recipe to serve 17 people and it was a huge hit. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Omg this turned out so good! Great recipe!!! I am mad I only made a single batch. Keeping this recipe handy for sure!
I want to ask a stupid question. How much is 56oz of chicken broth? My boyfriend and I would like to make gumbo sometime. Thanks, Kristen!! :-)
That’s 7 cups! :)
[…] next to nothing at the grocery store so I picked up a few packages to freeze for future batches of Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo. Oh man, soup season…it’s […]
Tried this tonight and there is only one word for it, AMAZING!!! My husband told me this is his new go to dish on a cold winter evening. Thank you for sharing.
WO-HOO!! It’s one of my all time favorite recipes! So glad you guys enjoyed!
Hi Kristin, I really hate celery. Would I be ruining this dish if I left it out? Anything I could replace it with? Thanks!
No worries – it will still be delicious!
Hi Kristin – I love this recipe, so good! I have made this 2-3 times now and I am still having a problem with the roux. When adding the 3T oil and flour to my pot I have no liquid remaining from cooking the sausage and chicken. Should I add more than just oil before adding the flour (chicken broth?)? Your picture shows way more liquid at the start of your roux than mine and I could only cook for 2-3 minutes because the roux started to burn. Help :)
Hi Michelle! The fat from the chicken skin should provide at least 2 Tablespoons fat so if you don’t have that much, I’d add more vegetable oil. Also the step where you let your dutch oven cool off the heat for a couple minutes is crucial for making sure you don’t burn the roux. I think those two items should help you get the roux to a good spot!! :)
I used leftover thanksgiving turkey in place of the chicken and it was wonderful!
This looks SO good! I can’t wait to try this recipe. ;)
Hi there, can you please let me know where you got your whisk in the photo, or what it is called? It looks a lot easier to use when making the roux than the one I tried for this recipe yesterday – I had the sauce splatter everywhere. Thank you! -Kendall
Hi Kendall! I got that at IKEA but have seen it at home stores like Bed Bath and Beyond!
Hi Kristin. I can’t wait to try this recipe over the weekend since we now finally have cooler weather in S. Florida. Could I substitute the chicken for shrimp? I would add them at the end so as not to overcook. Love your posts/recipes/pics!
Hi Van! You could use shrimp instead of chicken! You’ll need to add more oil to make up for the lost chicken fat, and I think you’ll lose some flavor, but it should still be good!
I made a similar gumbo recipe for our church soup supper. It was a hit & I won 2nd prize.
First was bacon potato soup. Its fun to make & great for potluck or family gatherings.
BRING MORE OF THESE COMFORT FOOD IDEAS.
I made this last night and it was a great dinner for a cold, snowy night. Mine didn’t thicken up as much as yours looks but it was still very tasty and filling. Have the leftovers in the freezer for the week.
Made this tonight and it was great! Despite being a pretty good cook, light fluffy rice still eludes me though. I don’t cook it often enough to practice and try out different techniques.
Yum! I made this last night and the whole family loved it! My roux needed much more oil because I had hardly any fat in the pan after the chicken. But the pictures in your recipe helped a lot. I added shrimp, and I loved that the gumbo had so much protein in it! Thanks!
Made this recipe for a friend who is gluten intolerant with enough for my own family. It’s a great recipe and so easy. I notice it doesn’t have okra or file which is a good thing for me. I live in a small coastal town in Victoria Australia and it would be impossible to obtain these two items. Thank you definitely will make again.