Chicken & Andouille Gumbo
Submitted by kttycat
This hearty Cajun chicken and andouille gumbo starts with a deep chestnut roux, the holy trinity, and smoky sausage simmered into a rich, soul-warming bowl. Serve over rice with a splash of sherry.
YIELD
15 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
50 minIf you’ve never stood over a pot stirring roux until it turns the color of an old penny, honey, you haven’t lived. This chicken and andouille gumbo is the real deal, built from the ground up with a dark roux that fills your kitchen with the most intoxicating nutty aroma.
Browned chicken and sliced andouille sausage get nestled into that roux along with the Cajun holy trinity (onions, celery, and green pepper) before everything simmers low and slow in chicken broth.
The result? A thick, smoky, deeply savory bowl that tastes like it came straight from a Louisiana grandmother’s stovetop.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t rush the roux. Stir constantly and keep the heat controlled. If you see even a speck of black, toss it and start fresh. A scorched roux will ruin the whole pot.
- Add filé powder at the table, not in the pot. Cooking filé directly in the gumbo makes it stringy. A quarter teaspoon per bowl is plenty.
- Use andouille for authentic smoky heat. Kielbasa works in a pinch, but andouille brings that signature Cajun kick you want.
- A splash of cream sherry at the table is a game-changer. It rounds out the richness and adds a subtle sweetness that balances the spice.
Ingredients
Directions
Season and brown chicken in oil (lard, bacon drippings) over med-hi heat.
Add sausage (cut in ¼ inch rounds) to pot and sauté with chicken.
Remove both from pot.
Make roux with equal parts of oil and flour to desired color (I make a dark chestnut color).
Add onions, celery, green pepper, and later garlic to roux, stir continuously until vegetables reach desired tenderness.
Return chicken and sausage to pot and cook with vegetables, continuing to stir frequently.
Gradually stir in liquid and bring to boil.
Reduce to simmer and cook for an hour or more.
Season to taste.
Approximately 10 minutes before serving, add green onions.
Gumbo may or may not be served over rice.
Adding sherry at the table is also an option.
File may be placed on the table for individuals to add to their gumbo if they wish.
¼ to ½ teaspoon per serving is recommended. File - a fine green powder that is young dried and ground sassafras leaves, used in gumbo for flavor and thickening.
The word file means to twist or make threads.
If you put the file directly into the gumbo while it is cooking, that is what you will end up with, a liquid that is rather stringy as you bring your spoon out of the bowl.
If making roux over very high heat, the oil you use must be free of food particles to avoid burning.
If you scorch your roux, even slightly, while you are making it, throw it out, and start over again after you have thoroughly cleaned the pot.
When making an okra gumbo, add 4 to 6 cups of cut okra to trinity, sauté, and cook together with roux.
(remember, the Cajun cooking trinity is onions, celery and green pepper).
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