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Chicken and sausage gumbo

Dark roux, smoky sausage, and a whole lot of patience

⏱️ Time estimate: about 4 hours 25 minutes

A big-pot Cajun gumbo built on a deep brown roux, smoked sausage, andouille, tender chicken, broth, and the holy trinity, meant for bowls of rice and the sort of slow day where the stove gets to be the main event.

Chicken and sausage gumbo served in a bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced
  • 2/3 pound andouille sausage, chopped
  • 2 yellow onions, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 2 green bell peppers, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 boxes chicken broth, 48 ounces each
  • 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • Cooked white rice and potato salad, for serving if you like

Instructions

  1. Start the roux. Heat the oil in a large heavy stock pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
  2. Cook the roux patiently. Stir steadily over low to medium heat until the roux turns the color of dark chocolate. Do not rush this part.
  3. Brown the sausage in the roux. Add the smoked sausage and andouille and stir until lightly caramelized and glossy.
  4. Add the trinity. Stir in the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook until softened and translucent.
  5. Add garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
  6. Build the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring well, and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the Creole seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, and thyme.
  7. Simmer the chicken. Add the chicken thighs, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours.
  8. Finish with rotisserie chicken. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken, cover again, and simmer for 20 minutes more.
  9. Serve. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems if you can find them. Top with green onions and serve with rice, and potato salad if that sounds right for the day.

Gumbo note: this is a labor-of-love recipe. The dark roux is the heart of it, and the leftovers are famously even better the next day.