My Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
I'll go ahead and tell you; this is not a typical, classic gumbo. I like to think of it as more of a "simple gumbo." I don't brown my roux for hours, and I don't use your typical Andouille sausage. I like my roux lighter in this gumbo. That's just me. I also use a cheap grocery store sausage. I always have used this particular kind with cheddar and jalapenos. I won't use another. Read along to see how I make MY chicken and sausage gumbo.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Kitchen Knife
- Spoon or Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 cups Shredded Chicken (You can use a rotisserie chicken or boiled chicken; whatever you want)
- 28 oz Jalapeño and Cheddar Smoked Sausage (I specifically use Eckrich brand)
- 1 Onion
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 3 Stalks of Celery
- 2/3 cups Oil (I use Extra Light Olive Oil)
- 2/3 cups Flour
- 4~ cups Chicken Broth
- 2 tbsp Poultry Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Chop sausage into small pieces. Add sausage and your cooked shredded chicken to a large pot. Sauté on medium until both are browned, then remove from pot. If there is some grease and remnants stuck to the bottom of the pot, that's ok.
- Once your meat is sautéed and removed from the pot, add in your oil. Make sure than your heat is on the lowest setting. You can use your spoon/spatula to scrape the bottom remnants of the pan where your meat was browned. Add in your flour 1/3 of a cup at a time. Stir constantly. While watching and stirring constantly, your roux will start to turn a darker color. I like my roux to look almost "khaki or a rose-gold color." Not too dark. You'll be able to smell the nuttiness once it starts to brown. This should take around 10-12 minutes to receive your optimal color.
- Once your roux has reached your ideal color, add in your chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper. The roux will then coat your vegetables. Sauté until the vegetables are tender. Then add your meat back to your pot and slowly add in your chicken broth and poultry seasoning. Bring the gumbo to a boil to thicken and bring it all together.
- Taste your gumbo. At this point, I add in pepper, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder. Reduce heat and let simmer on low for up to an hour. Serve hot on top of rice. Enjoy!