Home Chicken Dinners Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Becky Hardin
4.87 from 15 votes
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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is hearty, flavorful, and great for making when it’s cold outside! Smoky sausage, tender chicken, and a medley of fresh veggies are savory and satisfying as can be. It’s a NOLA classic in the comfort of your own home!
What’s in This Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe?
For this recipe, a dark brown roux is made with butter and flour to give richness and a deep toasted flavor. It’s easy to make but adds so much body to this delicious gumbo!
- Roux: We make the rich roux by combining unsalted butter, olive oil, and all-purpose flour. It’s a simple recipe, but it does take some time to get nice and dark.
- Chicken: We like boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but thighs will also work.
- Seasonings: Bay leaves season the chicken as it cooks, while cumin, salt, and thyme enhance the flavor of the gumbo.
- Sausage: Andouille sausage is the traditional choice. If you can’t find it, chorizo or Polish kielbasa will also work.
- Veggies: Red bell peppers, onion, celery, and canned diced tomatoes add body and bulk to the gumbo.
Variations on Sausage and Chicken Gumbo
You can always get creative and toss in some more proteins! Crawfish tails, shrimp, chicken thigh meat, and even alligator are all traditionally found in gumbo recipes. Just make sure all of this meat is cooked prior to stirring it in with the andouille sausage and shredded chicken right at the end.
How to Store and Reheat
Let the chicken gumbo cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight container in the fridge. Properly stored, it’ll stay fresh for up to 3 days. Reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.
How to Freeze
You can freeze sausage and chicken gumbo for up to 3 months. Let it fully cool, then transfer the gumbo to a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Lay the bag flat on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer so the gumbo freezes flat – this makes for easier storage. Let it thaw in the fridge prior to reheating in the microwave or back in a pot over medium-low heat.
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Notes from the Test Kitchen
This is a true stick-to-your-ribs recipe that never fails to hit the spot. It’s so warm, cozy, and super filling. Perfect for cold nights when you need a bowl of something comforting!
4.87 from 15 votes
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe
Get a taste of New Orleans with this savory and delicious chicken and sausage gumbo! Smoky sausage, vegetables, spices, and succulent chicken make this an awesome recipe that's great for sharing.
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 5 people
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Ingredients
For the Roux:
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
For the Gumbo:
- 6 cups water
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces Andouille sausage sliced
- 1 cup red bell peppers chopped
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
For the Roux:
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine butter, extra virgin olive oil, and flour.
½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
Cook on medium heat while continuously whisking for 30 minutes. Whisking every 15-20 seconds is important to avoid burning the roux. The roux will turn from a light blonde to a dark brown color.
Set aside to cool.
For the Gumbo:
To a large pot, add the water, chicken breasts, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 40 minutes. Remove chicken from water, but keep the broth for later use.
6 cups water, 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 bay leaves
Let the chicken cool, shred, then set aside.
In a small nonstick pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and add the Andouille sausage. Cook for 8 minutes on each side until browned.
12 ounces Andouille sausage, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Remove Andouille sausage from the pan. In the same pan, add the bell peppers, onion, and celery. Sauté the veggies in the fat from the sausage for 10 minutes on medium heat.
1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup red bell peppers, 1 cup diced onion
Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of broth from boiled chicken, then set aside.
Add the veggies, ground cumin, ground thyme, salt, diced tomatoes, and 2½ cups of broth from the boiled chicken to the roux, and let simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
15 ounces diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Add Andouille sausage and shredded chicken, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh thyme and serve with boiled rice on the side.
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
Notes
Storage:Store chicken and sausage gumbo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 916Calories from Fat 594
% Daily Value*
Fat 66g102%
Saturated Fat 22g138%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g
Monounsaturated Fat 32g
Cholesterol 198mg66%
Sodium 992mg43%
Potassium 1168mg33%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 48g96%
Vitamin A 2421IU48%
Vitamin C 55mg67%
Calcium 67mg7%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Author: Becky Hardin
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:American
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How To Make Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Step by Step
Start the roux:In a pot over medium heat, whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.
Cook the roux: Whisk continuously and don’t let the roux burn! The goal is to have it turn a light brown color. This should take you about 30 minutes.
Boil the chicken: Add 6 cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add your 3 chicken breasts and 2 bay leaves to the pot. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.
Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the water, move to a separate bowl and shred with two forks. Save the water it was boiled in for later use.
Cook the sausage: Slice the 12 ounces of Andouille sausage, then toss it in a skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook until browned on both sides.
Sauté: Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. To that same pan, add 1 cup of celery, 1 cup of red bell peppers and 1 cup of onions. Sauté until for about 10 minutes over medium heat.
Deglaze: Deglaze the pan with the veggies with 1 cup of the water the chicken was cooked in earlier.
Combine all ingredients except for meat: Add the veggies, seasonings (1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground thyme), 1 can of diced tomatoes and 2 1/2 cups of the chicken cooking water to the roux and stir to combine it all.
Add the meats: Stir the cooked chicken and andouille sausage into the gumbo.
What is the secret to good gumbo?
The secret to good gumbo is the rich, dark roux. Cooking it low and slow for a long time imparts a rich color and flavor that permeates the whole dish!
Should chicken be cooked before adding to gumbo?
We prefer to cook our chicken completely and add it at the end to prevent overcooking.
Do you simmer gumbo with the lid on or off?
We like to simmer with the lid off to help the gumbo thicken!
Should gumbo be thick or soupy?
Gumbo should be thicker and more viscous than a traditional soup thanks to the roux!
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Meet Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin founded Easy Chicken Recipes in 2018. She has been creating trusted, easy, and delicious recipes on the web since 2012. Becky is known for simple dinner ideas, delicious crockpot recipes, creative chicken meals, and so much more. We have built a team of recipe developers, testers, and writers that love to create trust chicken recipes for every family.
Reader Interactions
Leave a Review
Philip says
I had a problem with the gumbo it comes out very thick any suggestions to help me with creating the gumbo so as it’s not too thick
Reply
Becky Hardin says
Maybe some more water until you get the right consistency?
Reply
David Godsey says
I really enjoyed this. I did add okra and cayenne pepper. Turned out great.Reply