Authentic Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Irishcolleen's Note:

Some people think that New Orleans cuisine is Cajun cuisine. It isn't. It's Creole cuisine, where most sauces and gravies are prepared with tomato. To delight in true Cajun cuisine, one must travel west of New Orleans into Acadiana, where, in my opinion, the food is much better! Just be sure that you like spicy, because most of it is highly seasoned. My mother taught me how to make Gumbo. I usually make enough to freeze in portions so that I'll always have some on hand. Potato salad is traditionally served as a side dish.....oh, and of course, some good, crusty, garlic french bread to sop up the juice. :)

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 8 chicken thighs (I much prefer dark meat in a gumbo)
• 1 1/2 lbs richard's smoked sausage, sliced (or your favorite smoked sausage)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and cayenne pepper
• green onion, chopped
• parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Brown chicken thighs and sausage in a cast iron dutch oven. Remove from pot and let cool.
2. Add oil to the pot. With wire whisk, blend in flour. Continue stirring constantly, until flour is the color of chocolate syrup. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSTANTLY STIR THIS! Once the flour has browned to this point, quickly add onions, bell pepper and celery. Cook until onions are transparent. Add enough water to fill the pot about half way. Simmer.
3. Meanwhile, debone chicken. Add chicken and sausage. If needed, add more water to cover the chicken.
4. Add minced garlic, salt, and cayenne.
5. Let simmer for about an hour.
6. With a large spoon, skim as much fat as possible from the top.
7. Serve in a soup plate, over hot cooked rice.
8. Sprinkle green onions, parsley, and file in the bowls.
9. MMMMMMMMMM -- good stuff!

Reviews

[Chef #846256]

This is a wonderful recipe and very typical for a cajun chicken & sausage gumbo. I prefer to cheat and roast seasoned chicken pieces or breast meat in the oven and then shred and add but this method give much more flavor. I increase the amount of flour for the roux and cook the sausage in a separate pan to cut down on the potential greasiness.

[teejay5324]

This is pretty much my recipe, very well done. I like to add a chopped Jalapeno or two, and prefer Andouille sausage. Also a half pound or so of Tasso is excellent, maybe even cubed ham if you can't get tasso where you are. And of course a lot of Cajuns like to plop a big spoonful of potato salad right on top of the gumbo in the bowl. I make my own chicken stock and use that instead of water. Yum.

[saracho]

This was a hit at our house! I had never made a roux for gumbo before so it was quite a lesson in patience but the end product was fantastic! Lots and lots of enjoyment from my family. I did add some file at the end. Thanks for posting!