Chicken Andouille Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breast (if using breast, butterfly or cut in half horizontally)
• salt (to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil (for browning chicken)
• 1 lb andouille sausage (cut into circles)
• 1 cup vegetable oil (for the roux)
• 1.125 cup all-purpose flour (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1 yellow onion (large, chopped)
• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 celery stalks (chopped)
• 3 tbsp cajun seasoning (2 tablespoons for vegetables, 1 tablespoon for simmering; plus more to taste)
• 6 cup seafood or chicken broth (plus more as needed)
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 1 lb crawfish tails
• 3 cup rice (cooked according to label instructions)

Steps

1. 1

   If using chicken breast, butterfly or cut in half horizontally to make it thinner and cut down on cooking time.

2. 2

   Season the chicken lightly with salt and black pepper.

3. 3

   Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until lightly browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside to cool; it will finish cooking later in the gumbo broth.

4. 4

   In the same skillet, place the andouille sausage slices flat and cook until lightly charred. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. 5

   In a Dutch oven over medium to low heat, heat 1 cup of vegetable oil. Be very careful not to scorch or burn the oil.

6. 6

   Once the oil is hot, slowly whisk in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

7. 7

   Continue whisking or stirring the flour and oil mixture constantly until it reaches your desired color. For a traditional gumbo, aim for a very dark chocolate color, which requires constant stirring for about 35 to 40 minutes. Do not walk away from the roux as it can burn quickly.

8. 8

   Once the roux has reached the preferred dark color, stir in the chopped onions, celery, and bell peppers (the Trinity).

9. 9

   Add 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning to the vegetable mixture. The mixture will be thick; continue to stir for 10 to 12 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

10. 10

    Slowly pour in the seafood or chicken broth, adding a little at a time and stirring constantly to incorporate, until all 6 cups have been added.

11. 11

    Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add 2 bay leaves, cover the pot, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

12. 12

    Taste the broth for flavor; add an additional 1 tablespoon of Cajun spice if needed.

13. 13

    While the broth simmers, pull the cooled chicken into shreds or cut it into bite-sized chunks.

14. 14

    Add the chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

15. 15

    Stir in the charred andouille sausage; cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.

16. 16

    Add the shrimp and crawfish tails to the pot. Stir, cover, and simmer until the shrimp is opaque, about 3 minutes.

17. 17

    Turn off the heat and allow the gumbo to sit, covered, for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.

18. 18

    Remove the bay leaves and serve the gumbo in bowls with a side of cooked rice.

Notes

It’s very important not to walk away from the roux; it must be stirred constantly to prevent burning. If at any point you think the heat is too high, turn the temperature on the stove down. Whatever you do, continue stirring.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• gumbo
• cajun
• seafood
• stew
• dinner
• southern