This Spicy Chicken Gumbo with Andouille Sausage is a really satisfying dish...so delicious. We based this chicken gumbo recipe off The Gumbo Shop in New Orleans and took a few small liberties with the ingredients.
Place your chicken thighs in a large pot and add the water. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 1 hour until the chicken is falling off the bone. Set the chicken aside and strain the water (now turned into stock!) into a large bowl.
While the chicken is cooking, heat the 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a sauté pan. Add the okra and sauté over medium high heat until the “ropiness” is gone (i.e the goopy strands of okra-ness). When the okra is done, turn off the heat and set it aside.
Now comes the important step of making the signature gumbo roux. In the large pot you initially used for the chicken, add 2/3 cup vegetable oil and 3/4 cup flour. Whisk constantly for 20 minutes. Start with medium-low heat, and as it turns darker, switch to low heat. The roux should be a dark caramel color.
When you’ve got the perfect color for your roux, add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the pot. Sauté them until tender, coating everything in that roux. This can take a bit of time, as you want the heat still around medium or medium-low to make sure the roux doesn’t burn.
When the veggies are tender, add the sliced sausage. Once the sausage is lightly browned, add the sautéed okra, and the tomatoes. Cook for 15 minutes. This is a good time to remove the skin and bone from the chicken thighs and roughly shred them with your hands or two forks.
Add the chicken stock and shredded chicken and stir until combined. Then, season the entire mixture with the bay leaves, thyme, basil, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and bring to a low boil. Simmer for 1 hour with the pot loosely covered, stirring occasionally. After an hour, add the hot sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the gumbo simmer for another 20-30 minutes.
Serve the gumbo with rice, bread, parsley, and lots of extra hot sauce!
Notes
Nutrition info for gumbo only, not including rice or bread.