Chicken Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo – rich, flavorful gumbo bursting with authentic flavors and loaded with chicken, shrimp, crab legs and sausage. Everything you want in comfort food is right here. A dish like no other!
I simply love GUMBO! If you aren’t familiar with African cuisine, this gumbo could make a good reference at is just blends right in with the food that I’ve known for my whole life – spicy, substantial, well-seasoned and full of amazing ingredients! I have got to say the combination of flavor is right on point! Now how could anyone not want to make this?
What is Gumbo?
Louisiana is no doubt popular with its vibrant culture, most especially with its Creole and Cajun cuisine. It would take more than just a few sentences to describe the difference between the two, unless you’re willing to sit down and talk it over some bottles of beer or cups of coffee. (You may read this Creole vs Cajun Food).
But I’m here to talk about this gumbo recipe here.
Gumbo is a thick stew-like soup that features various kind of meat (like chicken, sausages and seafood), okra and Creole and Cajun seasonings. But even up to this day, its core ingredients, method of preparation and even its origin is STILL WIDELY DISPUTED. Although, historians would generally agree that with the thickeners commonly use in many gumbo recipes (okra, gumbo file and gumbo roux) it could all be traced back to its Choctaw Native American, French and West African roots (so that explains!).
Some parts of Louisiana have it seafood-based with tomatoes, while the southwestern area have it meat-based thickened only with roux. Other uses okra, and some use gumbo file. So once and for all, there is NO right or wrong in preparing this complex dish!
Gumbo vs. Jambalaya
While gumbo could be described in various ways, you can somehow easily distinguish what’s the difference between a gumbo and a jambalaya. Gumbo is more like of a rich, flavorful stew or soup spooned over rice while jambalaya is a rice-based dish similar to that of Spanish paella or biryani. The rice is typically cooked with proteins like chicken and sausages along with the stock and other seasonings.
Gumbo Ingredients
Don’t let the ingredients list scare you. Making gumbo is simple and is no more complicated than making stew. After you get past the stirring (making the roux) everything else is a breeze. Below are the main components for this gumbo recipe:
Meat
For this recipe, I use skinless chicken thighs, smoked sausages, crab legs and peeled and deveined shrimp.
Holy Trinity
The base for this Southern recipe is the “Holy Trinity” which is a combination of celery, onions and bell pepper. All are sautéed until fragrant to give off that wonderful aroma.
Roux
A roux is derived from French cooking, although gumbo roux is much darker than the mildly toasted roux used in French cuisine. To make a gumbo roux, flour is toasted in fat such as butter or oil, depending on the color of roux you’re going for. Darker roux uses oil to achieve that chocolate-colored or close to burnt color (which I will talk about more below).
Creole Cajun Seasoning
No gumbo would be truly complete without a favorite of ours Creole Cajun Seasoning. This homemade version is salt-free unlike all the other store-bought ones. It has the base for a Cajun seasoning and goes a bit further Creole’s complex mix of herbs and spices. You’ll be surprised how this spice blend can elevate even the most boring dish!
Thickener
Most recipes call for okra as a thickener, but I intentionally omitted it and replaced it with a gumbo file (powdered leaves of the sassafras tree) instead. This serves both as a thickener and adds a distinct flavor to the dish.
What is Gumbo File?
Gumbo file, or also called as file powder, is a powder made from crushed leaves of the Sassafras which is a native to the Southeastern U.S. This is used as a thickener and flavoring in soups and stews. It should be added to gumbo off the heat, just before serving, along with some of your favorite garnishing like green onions or parsley.
You can buy this powder in most supermarkets and specialty stores. Or you can purchase them through online HERE.
How to Make Roux for Gumbo
A “roux” is basically equal parts of oil and flour, stirred together to eliminate the floury taste. With gumbo, the stirring is prolonged to achieve a chocolate color to intensify the flavor the stew. 
When making the roux, try not to walk away or else it might burn. In the beginning, it will look like frosting but after about approximately 22-25 minutes of constant stirring the mixture will become a little more like gravy.
Can You Freeze Chicken and Sausage Gumbo?
What I love even more with gumbo is that it taste even great the following day! You can store whatever is left in an airtight container and into the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 4-6 months. And just gently reheat it on the stovetop when ready to serve.
What to Serve with Chicken and Sausage Gumbo?
Gumbo is most often paired with it’s time honored maid – rice. So have some white rice to go with this, or with this Skillet Cornbread or these Cornbread Muffins. This classic Southern Dirty Rice would also make a fantastic pair for this chicken gumbo
If you want to include okra in your gumbo then give this other gumbo a try.
More Southern Comfort Food
- Cajun Shrimp and Grits
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Red Beans and Rice
How To Make Chicken Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo
Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed Dutch Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, and then remove. Set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan combine melted butter, oil and flour until smooth.
Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 20-30 minutes or until it turns a rich dark brown color – just like chocolate. Don’t walk away from the stove during this process. It might burn. When you have achieved your desired color. Remove from stove and let it cool. Return the Dutch oven back on the stove. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 8- 10 minutes –stirring frequently.
Then add chicken, sausage, crab legs, creole seasoning, chicken bouillon or cubes, paprika, thyme, bay leaves and let it cook for 5 minutes. Followed by can tomatoes about 6 cups of chicken stock
Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 45 – 50 minutes. Add the shrimp, simmer for 5 more minutes. Stir in file powder, green onions, and chopped parsley. Adjust thickness soup and flavor with broth or water and salt.
Watch How to Make It
Chicken Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo - rich, flavorful gumbo bursting with authentic flavors and loaded with chicken, shrimp, crab legs and sausage. Everything you want in a comfort food is right in here. A dish like no other!
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 pounds chicken skinless chicken thigh
- 8 oz smoked sausage
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup flour
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 sticks)
- ½ pound crab legs
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning.
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder or 1 cube
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon thyme fresh or dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 14- oz can tomatoes (chopped)
- 6 cups chicken stock (sub with water)
- 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 tablespoon gumbo file
- 2 green onions , chopped
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
-
Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed Dutch Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, and then remove. Set aside.
-
In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan combine melted butter, oil and flour until smooth.
-
Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 20-30 minutes or until it turns a rich dark brown color - just like chocolate. Don’t walk away from the stove during this process. It might burn.
-
When you have achieved your desired color. Remove from stove and let it cool.
-
Return the Dutch oven back on the stove. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 8- 10 minutes –stirring frequently.
-
Then add chicken, sausage, crab legs, creole seasoning, chicken bouillon or cubes, paprika, thyme, bay leaves and let it cook for 5 minutes. Followed by can tomatoes about 6 cups of chicken stock, bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 45 – 50 minutes. Add the shrimp, simmer for 5 more minutes.
-
Stir in file powder, green onions, and chopped parsley.
-
Adjust thickness soup and flavor with broth or water and salt.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
All I can say is WOW! This stuff tastes amazing! I followed the recipe to the letter and it just turned out amazing.
I made this Sunday and it was absolutely delicious and wonderful. I wish I could post a picture. I posted it on my FB page. I used snow crab legs, lump crab meat, shrimp, andouille sausage and chicken. I had a chocolate-colored rue. I sat there and stirred it for 30 minutes. Thank you soo much for this recipe. I will continue to check your recipes. I am on your list and get emails also, that’s how I saw this one.
How to make dirty rice ?
Here is how to make it https://www.africanbites.com/dirty-rice-4/. Enjoy!!!
This recipe is so delicious! It was a big hit.
My question is, should I have slit the crab legs (to allow the meat to run out) before I added them into the soup? No one got to enjoy the crab legs because they were still in the shell, and were too hot to think about cracking them from the soup. What do you recommend?
But it is so DELICIOUS and fun to make!
Hi Martha, So happy to hear it was a big hit with your family. Next time, I would suggest splitting the crab open ,add in the outer layer and reserve the crab meat for the last 5 minutes or cooking so your family can enjoy the meaty part . Hope this helps .
Ha Imma
Just read how you make gumbo I about to give it a shot. Will keep you informed
Awesome! Looking forward to hear how it works for you. Happy cooking!
Love your recipe ❤️ for Louisiana Gumbo I will try this recipe asap. Thank you
Do let us know how it works out . Thanks
Made this last night for our snowy Halloween. It was my first time ever making Gumbo. Everybody loved it. I will be making it again for the opening weekend of Deer Season in a couple weeks. Such a yummy comfort food.
I NEVER Leace reviews. Ever. And it became an absolute must after making this last night. You can literally taste the layers of flavor in this dish. The depth it has is out of this world. Not only did our house smell absolutely amazing, but my husband loved it as well. This is such a hit, you would t be disappointed
Brielle, this is amazing! I am ecstatic that it was a hit in your home. It is indeed one of my favorites. Thank you for stopping by!
Cooked this for a after trick or treat get together.
Everyone raved about this gumbo. Thank goodness I made enough! Must try it. Its a crowd pleaser for sure.
I haven’t even thought about using this dish in relation to Halloween but that sounds great! I’m glad you enjoyed 🙂
I made this today and just finished eating it oh my God I deviated from the recipe a little bit out of my own will touch and I usually don’t use measuring cups which I didn’t in this case I added a few pieces of corn on the cob this was amazing OMG it was awesome.
Those sound like great additions Johnnie! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I’m making this happen right now and it smells amazing!!
Oh wow, so jealous! Eat up! 🙂
This recipe is !!!!!! Nough said!!!!!
doesn’t sound great to make all the changes to this amazing africanbites recipe it’s perfect the way it is
I’ve never cooked with crab. Not sure they have fresh crab where I live. Would frozen crab legs work?
I loved reading your recipe!! It is very similar to my own. I actually combined several recipes to make it mine. Basically the difference’s in mine and yours is no crab or shrimp, no file, I use a whole rotisserie chicken deboned, use bones and skin to make my own stock, then use 1 lb. of smoked sausage cut in half moon slices and 1 bag okra pieces and no smoked paprika(however, I may add this to give it a little smokiness). Love to get new ideas for recipes. Thank you for sharing.
That’s a great alternative! Thanks for sharing!
doesn’t sound great to make all the changes to this amazing africanbites recipe it’s perfect the way it is
I just made the gumbo and it was the best. I will be making it again soon
Woohoo Gloria, I’m very happy to hear that 🙂
Wow ,must try this
You must! 🙂
The Gumbo looks very tasty with all the seafood, i love your cooking style, Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Deborah! Hope you try it out!
My favorite meal of all time
Great recipe! This is pretty true to the classic creole-style gumbo theme. I’ve heard that Cajun style has rules against using meat AND seafood together, and doesn’t use tomato, but is otherwise pretty similar.
There’s two things I do slightly differently: One is adding the garlic only during the last minute or two that the vegetables are cooking. The other is to let it simmer for a good 2 hours before finishing it, because a really dark brown roux takes FOREVER to cook out.
Oh! and speaking of the roux, you can save some time cooking it if you get the oil really hot, then whisk the flour into it. It cuts the time for cooking that down from 30-45 minutes to 15 or so, once you get the hang of it.
I was looking at the carbs count of 59 grams per serving and wanted to know how you came up with 59 carbohydrates per serving?
I am simply amazed by not only the diversity of you recipes but the quality of the food as well. Please keep up the good work! Jack
I checked out the recipe here for reference for making Gumbo my second time ever. A tip for the shrimp, i put the shrimp shells in a small pot with a little water and boiled a few minutes and then strained the liquid into my Gumbo gravy which added a great shrimp flavor. I had seen that before somewhere that you can extract a lot of flavor off of the shells.
Awesome! Thanks for taking time out to share this with us.