Chicken Gumbo

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Hearty Chicken Gumbo over rice is the ultimate Mardi Gras dinner. This chicken and sausage stew is so delicious, though, you’ll want to make the easy gumbo recipe all year long.

Chicken gumbo in a small white bowl with rice on top.


 

Although few cooks can agree on the essential elements of the best gumbo recipe, gumbo recipes as an entire category are iconic in Louisiana. This hearty, fragrant stew crosses all class and race lines and is a delicious example of the melting pot nature of the jazzy, spirited southern state.

Historians are still seeking the definitive origin of gumbo, but its name is derived from a West African word for okra. (Okra is a common gumbo ingredient, but since its texture can be a bit polarizing, I omitted it from my homemade Chicken Gumbo recipe below.)

The first written reference of gumbo seems to be in the early 1800s, when the spiced-up stew was served in New Orleans to celebrate a governor’s election. Today, you can now find gumbo recipes across the state and the globe stoked with seafood, chicken, sausage, and more.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for chicken gumbo.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Andouille sausage: If desired, swap in kielbasa or another smoked sausage.
  • Chicken broth: Feel free to use homemade chicken broth or your favorite store-bought brand. You’re dressing it up enough in this Chicken Gumbo so the results will be similar.
  • Homemade Creole Seasoning: In an airtight jar, add 3 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon crushed dry oregano, and 1 tablespoon crushed dried thyme. Shake vigorously and store leftover seasoning in an airtight container in the pantry up to 6 months.
  • Hot sauce: This is optional, but highly recommended if you, like me, enjoy spice. The Louisiana brand would be a marvelous option to fit the theme.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown sausage, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve drippings in pan.
Andouille sausages being cooked in a Dutch oven.
  1. Add chicken breast to Dutch oven, and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
Chicken breasts being cooked in a Dutch oven.
  1. Reduce heat to medium. Add the oil and flour to the drippings, whisk together to combine, and continue to cook roux over medium heat until dark brown, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring constantly.
Sauce for chicken gumbo in a Dutch oven.
  1. Add onion, bell peppers, and celery. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add broth and stir until blended.
Vegetables being cooked in a Dutch oven.
  1. Add chicken, garlic, Creole seasoning, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, chicken is fork-tender, about 1 hour.
Chicken gumbo being cooked in a Dutch oven.
  1. Return sausage to pan, and cook until sausage is thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes.
Chicken gumbo being cooked in a Dutch oven.
  1. Remove chicken and bay leaves. Cut chicken into strips and return to gumbo. Season gumbo to taste with salt and additional hot sauce, as desired. Add green onions, and parsley. Serve over hot cooked rice.
Chicken gumbo being cooked in a Dutch oven.

Recipe tips and variations

Chicken gumbo in two small white bowls with rice on top.

Recipe FAQs

What exactly is gumbo?

Gumbo is a stew made with a spiced, darkened roux and a variety of meats, poultry, or seafood. It starts with the “holy trinity” of vegetables: onions, celery, and bell peppers. Gumbo may contain one or more of the following: andouille sausage, polish sausage, chicken, duck, shrimp, crab, or oysters. It is often served with rice.

What is the difference between gumbo and jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a rice dish and gumbo is a stew. Both may contain chicken, sausage, and seafood.

Chicken gumbo being cooked in a Dutch oven.

More Mardi Gras favorites

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Chicken gumbo in a small white bowl with rice on top.

Chicken Gumbo

Hearty Chicken Gumbo over rice is the ultimate Mardi Gras dinner. This chicken and sausage stew is so delicious, though, you'll want to make the easy gumbo recipe all year long.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings (1 cup each)
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 368
5 from 12 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown sausage, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve drippings in pan.
  • Add chicken breast to Dutch oven, and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add the oil and flour to the drippings, whisk together to combine, and continue to cook roux over medium heat until dark brown, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Add onion, bell peppers, and celery. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add broth and stir until blended.
  • Add chicken, garlic, Creole seasoning, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, chicken is fork-tender, about 1 hour.
  • Return sausage to pan, and cook until sausage is thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes.
  • Remove chicken and bay leaves. Cut chicken into strips and return to gumbo. Season gumbo to taste with salt and additional hot sauce, as desired. Add green onions, and parsley. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Andouille sausage: If desired, swap in kielbasa or another smoked sausage.
  2. Chicken broth: Feel free to use homemade chicken broth or your favorite store-bought brand. You’re dressing it up enough in this Chicken Gumbo so the results will be similar.
  3. Homemade Creole Seasoning: In an airtight jar, add 3 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon crushed dry oregano, and 1 tablespoon crushed dried thyme. Shake vigorously and store leftover seasoning in an airtight container in the pantry up to 6 months.
  4. Hot sauce: This is optional, but highly recommended if you, like me, enjoy spice. The Louisiana brand would be a marvelous option to fit the theme.
  5. Yield: This Chicken Gumbo recipe makes eight hearty 1-cup servings, ideal for enjoying over a little (or a lot) of hot cooked rice.
  6. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  7. Freezer: Freeze gumbo in freezer-safe containers (leaving 1/2-inch headspace for expansion) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 368kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 25gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 1442mgPotassium: 640mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 409IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

    1. Hi Lisa, thank you soo much for your attention to detail. The video is not accurate. It should be 20 to 30 minutes. While seconds is fine and would create a lighter roux, the darker roux written in the recipe is more correct for this recipe. So sorry about that! Thank you so much again for pointing it out! – Meggan

  1. I added a bit of Gumbo Filé to thicken mine. Love Andouille sausage. For a bit less spice, simmer the sausage in some water first for a little bit. Add the hot sauce to taste upon serving. Yum.5 stars