Chicken Gumbo Recipe

Ingredients

• Olive Oil – Use oil of your choice
• Andouille Sausage Links – You can also use smoked sausage
• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs – Feel free to substitute with boneless chicken breast
• Creole Seasoning – Adds so much flavor to this sausage gumbo recipe
• All Purpose Flour – Helps to thicken the gumbo. Feel free to use other thickeners such as cornstarch.
• Butter – We used unsalted butter
• Chopped Vegetables – Green Bell Pepper, Red Bell Pepper, Small Onion, Celery Sticks
• Frozen Cut Okra – You can also use 12 Fresh Okras
• Garlic Cloves, minced – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
• Chicken Broth – See Chicken broth substitutes
• Gumbo Filé Powder – This is thickens the gumbo right before serving. It is in most Louisiana Gumbo Recipes and it is dried sassafras leaves chopped into fine powder.

Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe details.

How to Make Chicken Gumbo Recipe

Step 1 – Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot or large dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the sliced Andouille sauces and sear for 3 minutes on both sides of the sausage. Remove from the pan to a separate dish but leave any grease from the sausage in the pan.

Step 2 – Add the chicken thighs to the pan in a single layer.

Step 3 – Season with the cajun seasoning on both sides. Sear the chicken thighs on medium high heat for approximately 5 minutes per side until browned on both sides of the chicken. Remove from the pan to the dish with the sausage.

Step 4 – Add the butter to the pan and heat over medium high heat until melted.

Step 5 – Whisk in the flour. Reduce the heat to medium low heat and cook for 30-40 minutes until the roux is a chocolate brown color. Continue to whisk frequently during this step so that the flour does not burn.

Step 6 – Add the bell peppers, onions, celery, okra and garlic to the pan. Cook over medium high heat until softened (approximately 7-10 minutes).

Step 7 – Whisk the chicken broth into the roux mixture.

Step 8 – Add the chicken and sausage back to the pan. Add in the bay leaves. Mix all the ingredients together and bring to the mixture to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 60 minutes.

Step 9 – Remove the chicken, shred and stir it back into the gumbo.

Step 10 – Remove the gumbo off of the heat and stir in the gumbo filé. Make sure that the mixture does not come back to a boil as this will make the gumbo stringy.

Step 11 – Taste test the gumbo and stir in more Creole seasoning, Salt and Black Pepper if needed based on your preference. Then the gumbo is ready to serve as is or with rice and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Stir Constantly – Make sure to stir constantly so that the mixture does not burn.
• Make sure to add in the Vegetables – Onion, Ribs Celery, and bell pepper are essential for Cajun flavor. Stew tomatoes are a great addition.
• Make Ahead – Gumbo tastes even better the next day.
• Adjust Blend of Spices – Add cayenne or hot sauce for extra heat.

Variations

• Add Seafood – Add shrimp, crab, or crawfish tails near the end of cooking for a delicious variations.
• Change the Meat – Use leftover turkey instead of chicken for a post-holiday twist.
• Vegetarian Variations – Skip the meat and add extra veggies or beans.
• Slow Cooker Cooking Method – Make the roux on the stove, then transfer everything to your slow cooker for 4–6 hours on low then blend for amazing flavor.