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Chicken, Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo

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Roasted chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp slow simmered in chicken broth flavored by a rich, dark roux made the Cajun way!  

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Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

A bowl of gumbo with sausage, chicken and shrimp served with rice

Gumbo made the authentic Cajun way!

Real deal gumbo starts with the Holy Trinity of Louisiana cooking (celery, onion and bell pepper.) Next roasted chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp are simmered in chicken broth flavored by a rich, dark roux.

Many folks will be celebrating Fat Tuesday this week which means they will party, and eat hardy before heading into the Lenten season. Gumbo is a favorite celebratory dish, and perfect if you’re looking for a meaty stew loaded with authentic southern Louisiana flavor.

 

A bowl of Cajun gumbo with sausage shrimp and chicken served with rice and sliced green onions

Gumbo dates back to the 18th century but I’m not sure of the age of this well loved recipe.

My sister-in-law’s parents (Paul & Margie) were kind enough to share their delicious version of this classic stew with me … and you!  They’ve been making gumbo for many years based on a recipe from an old friend who lives in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Paul and Margie made some tweaks and minor changes over the years, and of course I made a few too. Hope they don’t mind because we certainly didn’t!

 

 

Shrimp, sausage and chicken in a bowl of gumbo served with rice

Typically served in a bowl with rice, gumbo is filling and hearty.

Gumbo and can be spiced as much, or as little as you like to suit your personal taste. We’re fond of spicy foods, so we added some cayenne pepper to the pot as well. The andouille adds a little kick, and lots of flavor, so you may want to try it first before adding cayenne.

An overhead view of a bowl of authentic Cajun sausage Gumbo with chicken and shrimp served over rice

The biggest change I made was to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Instead of cooking a whole chicken as instructed in the recipe I took the shortcut and picked up a rotisserie chicken.

Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken cut a good amount of time from the recipe prep, and based on the end result, we are pleased! My senior taste tester (a/k/a traveling husband) said he was pleasantly surprised that a non-Cajun could make something so good. He means me!

 

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A bowl of chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo over rice

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 12
Course: Main Course
Author: Tricia
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5 from 6 votes
Roasted chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp slow simmered in chicken broth flavored by a rich, dark roux made the Cajun way!  

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs andouille sausage sliced 1/4” thick
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil plus extra for sautéing sausage
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large onions chopped
  • 4 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 16 ounce can whole tomatoes (crushed by hand)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley chopped, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 16 ounce package frozen chopped okra (not breaded)
  • 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 whole rotisserie chicken skin and bones removed and discarded, meat shredded
  • 1 pound raw, peeled and deveined shrimp (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon filé gumbo powder
  • green onions sliced thin, for garnish
  • cayenne pepper to taste
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Prep all the vegetables and set aside.
  • Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet. Sauté the sliced andouille sausage until lightly browned then remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Cover the plate and set aside to a warm location until needed.
  • Heat ¾ cup vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until shimmering and almost smoking. Add the flour and cook stirring constantly until the roux is the color of a copper penny (not an old one!) Add the onions, celery and bell pepper and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute or two or until fragrant.
  • Add the tomatoes, parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, while slowly adding a small amount of chicken broth if needed, to prevent burning.
  • Add all the remaining chicken broth to the pot with the vegetables, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the shredded chicken, frozen okra and half the sausage to the soup pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  
  • Turn off the heat and add the remaining sausage, the filé gumbo powder and the shrimp (if using). Stir well, cover and rest for 30 minutes.  
  • To serve, gently reheat if needed. Season with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaves.  
  • Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and green onions if desired. Serve with cayenne pepper or hot sauce for those that want a little more spice!

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered as an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 1288mg | Potassium: 754mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 732IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 4mg

Here are a few more Cajun style recipes you might enjoy:

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47 Comments

  1. Eletta

    5 stars
    This came out amazing!!!! I made this and my family loved it! Husband can’t have spice for health reasons but family was craving gumbo. I was hesitant at first afraid it would be too hot for him. I left out the spicy stuff but then I was worried it would jeopardize the flavor. It didn’t and was an instant hit! I’m adding this to my recipe book yum!

    Reply

  2. JJ

    5 stars
    I have done a few Gumbo recipes (Heard of Gumbo thought it’s weird, then I visited New Orleans had some and fell in love, lot better tasting than some can describe) , and for someone living in South-Africa some ingredients are not available, expensive or difficult to get, this one only 2 that is easily replaced with an alternative we can get here.
    This by far are the best recipe I have come across, this will be saved and shared and taste loved.

    I miss my first, the original New Orleans taste from the source.

    Reply

  3. Brandy Sparks

    Hi, is this recipe spicy? I can’t handle much spice but want 2 try this dish so bad. Also I want 2 just use chicken breast how many do you think would work? Thank you so much

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Brandy! If you want dial down the heat, I would leave out the crushed red pepper flakes. I think two chicken breasts would be fine if that’s what you have on hand. Depending on the size of the breasts, I would use 3 for a meatier gumbo instead of the whole rotisserie chicken. This is such a wonderful recipe – so glad you’re going to give it a try 😉

      Reply

  5. Dom

    Ooooh yes. Such a hearty bowl of gloriousness that packs a punch too. I’ll have a great big serving please. Looks so pretty too. Love the chunky veg

    Reply

  9. Pam

    Gumbo with the holy trinity and andouille sausage works for me, it looks delicious, Tricia! I’m non-Cajun too and like to make gumbo and I notice that you make it the authentic way with filé gumbo powder also. I learned the hard way years ago to remove the pot from heat before adding it, it turned into a stringy mess. Thanks for the recipe! And I’ll even add the okra next time. 🙂

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Thanks Larry – my husband is well traveled and a fearless eater. He loves to try new things and has found himself in Louisiana from time to time eating amazing gumbo. He thought my pot of gumbo was pretty great considering I’ve never been to New Orleans! It’s a wonderful bowl of deliciousness – you should try it!

      Reply

  15. Monica

    Trying to make something like gumbo is an intimidating thing but you make me feel like it’s do-able. I am a fan of using rotisserie chicken for a shortcut and really, this looks fabulous. Your family is so lucky to feast on all this good food!

    Reply

  19. Gina D from Texas

    Can you leave out the andouille sausage (my husband won’t eat pork) and okra (neither of us likes it)? I know I know … my mother’s side of the family in Louisiana would have a heart attack if they knew I even asked this. LOL.

    Do you think it would it still taste ok in your opinion?

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Gina! I don’t think leaving out the okra will affect the taste at all. However, the sausage plays a big part in this dish so I am sure the taste will be different. Perhaps you could use a nitrate free, all natural turkey or chicken sausage? Either way – the base of the stew is terrific but without sausage it will be different but that may not be a terrible thing! Thanks so much for the great question Gina. Have a wonderful week!

      Reply

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