Description
Straight from my mom’s kitchen in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana! Chicken, sausage, and okra gumbo that warms the soul.
Ingredients
- 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped onions
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen green bell peppers
- 5 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s), or to taste
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 pound fully-cooked smoked beef sausage (such as Hillshire Farm®), sliced
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen sliced okra
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot partially with lightly salted water
- and place the chicken in the pot. Bring to a boil
- reduce the heat to a simmer
- and cook the chicken until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear
- about 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the broth
- and crack open the carcass to allow the chicken to cool. Reserve the chicken broth. After the chicken has cooled enough to handle
- pick the meat from the bones
- and set aside.
- While the chicken is simmering
- make a roux by whisking together the flour and vegetable oil in a large
- heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir the mixture
- watching constantly to avoid burning
- until the roux is a rich chocolate brown color
- 20 to 30 minutes.
- As soon as the roux has reached the desired color
- stir in the onions
- bell peppers
- celery
- Cajun seasoning
- and bay leaves
- and simmer
- stirring occasionally
- until the vegetables are tender
- about 45 minutes. Pour in the reserved chicken broth
- diced tomatoes
- and beef sausage
- and simmer
- stirring occasionally
- until the mixture has thickened
- about 1 hour.
- Mix in the reserved chicken meat and okra
- bring back to a simmer
- and cook
- stirring occasionally
- until the okra is tender and the flavors have blended
- 30 to 40 minutes.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 10