This chilly weather still has me on a soup kick. There is nothing better than savory, warm Chicken Gumbo. Gumbo is the perfect hearty meal full of veggies, chicken and smoked sausage. With a spicy kick, this gumbo will brighten any dull winter day.
Gumbo purists will cringe, but I usually make this gumbo with frozen veggies. It just makes the recipe a little bit quicker to make. I buy a gumbo mix of okra, corn, bell peppers and onions. But you can also use fresh veggies.
I don’t shortcut the trickiest part of this recipe: making the roux. Roux making takes a little practice and a lot of stirring. You have to babysit the roux, stirring flour and oil together until it’s a nice coffee color. Don’t look away for one second or it might burn. Burnt roux is gross. I hear you can buy roux already made, but I have never tried that.
Once the roux is ready the rest of the recipe is simple. You can leave it simmering on the stove until ready to serve. Ladle your chicken gumbo over hot, cooked rice and serve with a side of hot sauce. Let me know if you try the recipe!
Kim Daniels
Yields 4
10 minPrep Time
45 minCook Time
55 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 16 oz package of frozen gumbo vegetables
- 1 can of diced tomatoes with their juice
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- 1 cup smoked sausage, sliced
- 2 tsp (or to taste) Cajun Spice, I use Tony Chachere's
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- Hot cooked rice, optional
- Hot sauce to taste
- Garnish with fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsely
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat broth to a simmer.
- Make the roux: Add flour and oil to a heavy, medium sized sauce pan or a cast iron skillet. Heat to medium. Do not over heat or the roux will burn. Burnt roux is not tasty. Stir constantly. The roux will thicken and begin to brown. I like to cook my roux to the color of coffee with cream, but you can go darker for a deep flavor. Just don't stop stirring until you are close to the color you want to achieve. then you can remove the roux from heat to cool slightly. As it cools, it will continue to darken.
- Add roux to your pot of broth and stir.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except the hot sauce and cilantro. Bring to a slight boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, ladle gumbo over rice. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Add hot sauce to taste.
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