Gumbo Recipe

Spice up your weeknight meals with this chicken, sausage, and seafood stew bursting with authentic Cajun flavors from Creole seasoning. The richly flavored broth and roux make every spoonful of this gumbo simply delicious and comforting.

Course Main

Cuisine Southern

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 40

Total Time 1 55

Servings

Calories 429kcal

Author Imma

Equipment

Bowls
Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven

Ingredients

2 pounds (900g) skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste (see notes)
1 tablespoon (12g) Creole seasoning or to taste
2 tablespoons (30ml) canola oil
8 ounces (250g) smoked sausage (andouille, kielbasa, and Polish sausage work well)
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter
½ cup (60g) flour
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 cup (120g) chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
½ pound (250g) crab legs
1 tablespoon (12g) Creole seasoning
1 tablespoon (10g) chicken bouillon powder (1 cube)
½ tablespoon (4-5g) smoked paprika
1 tablespoon (6g) thyme (fresh or dried)
2 bay leaves
1 14-ounce can tomatoes, chopped (optional)
6 cups (1.5l) chicken stock (or 6 cups water and 6 teaspoons of bouillon)
1 pound (450g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon (6g) gumbo filé
2 green onions, chopped
¼ cup (15g) chopped parsley

Instructions

Lightly season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Then cook the chicken until browned on both sides, remove it, and set it aside.
Brown the sausage, and set it aside.
Melt the butter with the oil in the same pan, then sprinkle in the flour and stir 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. Please don't walk away from the stove during this process, or it could burn. The time it takes is so worth it.
When you have achieved your desired color, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Return it to the heat. 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, and bay leaves, and let it cook for 5 minutes.
Follow with the tomatoes (if using) and about 6 cups of chicken stock, then bring to a boil and simmer for 45-50 minutes. After that, add the shrimp and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Stir in filé powder, green onions, and parsley. Adjust the soup's thickness and flavor to preferences.

Notes

The standard for salting to taste is ¾-1 teaspoon per pound of meat. If you are on a low-salt diet, start with ½ teaspoon or less and do a taste test after making the sauce to see if it needs more. You should taste all the wonderful spices, not the salt.
There is no shortcut to a good roux. Take your time and cook your flour-fat mixture until it's beautifully dark and smooth. Keep your eye on the roux and stir continuously when cooking it because it burns quickly. If available, use a wooden spoon to mix your roux.
Creole and Cajun seasonings are similar, and they work interchangeably in this recipe. If the sauce tastes bland, add more.
If using okra to thicken the soup base, chop the okra and add it to your gumbo 10 minutes before it's done.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition