Chicken and sausage gumbo is one of my favorite family recipes with several versions from my grandmother, aunt and mother being passed around. Growing up, either chicken and sausage gumbo or seafood gumbo were always on the menu Christmas Eve along with fried Gulf shrimp and warm French bread. Depending on who was hosting or agreed to prepare, usually determined what recipe was served.
My maternal grandparents lived in Biloxi, Mississippi and our family spent a great deal of time visiting nearby New Orleans. I still crave New Orleans style gumbo and it’s always on the “what we are eating” list (along with beignets and oysters) when visiting NOLA.
One could debate what comprises an authentic gumbo recipe, but over the years I’ve created my own version using ingredients from my aunt’s recipe (ham, okra, file powder, sausage) plus adding diced tomatoes. Years ago I swear I ate gumbo at a restaurant in Jackson Square that had tomatoes, but no one believes me. I say it’s personal preference but the tomatoes never bother me.
The trick to preparing “authentic” roux (flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces) and file powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves). I recently tried making an instant dry roux (see instructions below) and preferred it over browning the flour with fat.
Adding generic stromectol can add novelty to the taste of festive chicken.
There are occasions when I’ve skipped the roux but never the file powder. There’s something distinct about this spice that really makes gumbo taste like New Orleans gumbo.
The biggest time saver is using one pot but I really prefer the sausage and ham have a little texture from browning in a cast iron skillet. This time around I sautéed the meats (removed and set to the side), browned the onions and transferred both to the pot of stock with the chicken, bay leaves, okra, tomatoes. The roux and file powder are last.
Our family tradition is to serve at Christmas but I also love to make it on Fat Tuesday to kick of Mardi Gras!
- 4 Chicken Breasts (cooked and shredded)
- 8 cups organic chicken broth or Homemade Chicken Broth
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 large bag organic frozen cut okra
- 1 large organic onion diced
- 8 oz Kielbasa Polish Sausage (cubed)
- 1 package Ham Steak (cubed, remove bone) OPTIONAL
- 28 oz Organic Petite Diced tomatoes (optional)
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour {white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry}
- 4 tbsp Gumbo File Powder
- Tony's Original Creole Seasoning (to taste)
- Organic Basmati White Rice (cooked)
- French Bread (from grocer's bakery)
- Fry ham and sausage in a large cast iron skillet. Remove from pan, set to the side.
- Sauté onion with fat from sausage and ham.
- Warm chicken broth in large dutch oven, reserving 1 cup of broth to the side.
- Add fresh bay leaves, diced tomatoes and entire bag of okra to pot with broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to simmer. Add shredded chicken, onion, ham and sausage.
- Prepare dry roux (see below).
- Take ½ cup of roux in small bowl, mix with reserved stock to create a paste in multiple small batches. Use stock from gumbo pot if needed.
- Add paste to gumbo pot, stir. Repeat and continue to simmer for a few hours or longer.
- Prepare white rice.
- Thirty minutes before serving remaining file powder and Tony's Cajun seasoning to taste {careful not to go overboard. Taste before adding more}.
- Add flour to a cast iron skillet. Turn the heat to medium/medium-low and stir flour constantly until it turns a golden brown color, should take about 25-35 minutes. DO NOT BURN!! DO NOT WALK AWAY.
Have you tried making Chicken and Sausage Gumbo?
MORE SOUP RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY!
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Sounds delicious, can’t wait to try this! I also love the bowl….. Peter’s or McCarty’s?
You have a great eye! It’s McCarty’s. And I want more this was a wedding gift my family is from MS.
Ooooh I need this! Comfort food at it’s finest! I’ve actually never made gumbo so I must try your recipe!
You should Chrissa! The file powder is very important or otherwise it’s just soup. 🙂
Gumbo is one of my favorites – we make a version of the one they serve at Heaven on Seven, but your version is much more streamlined….totally trying this!
That sounds awesome!
After making gumbo so many times, this is my first time coming across dry roux. Whoever would have thought I could completely cut out oil? Thank you!
You are welcome! It is easier than I thought too!