Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Traditional gumbo recipes often contain shellfish, such as crab, shrimp or crawfish. If you like, add 1/2 lb. cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp when you return the browned chicken and sausage to the pan.
Ingredients:
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 1 lb. total, cut into bite-size pieces
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 lb. andouille or other spicy smoked sausage, thinly sliced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 12 okra pods, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or 2 cups frozen okra
Directions:
Brown the chicken and sausage
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the chicken and sauté until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sausage and sauté until browned, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken and sausage to a plate.
Cook the vegetables
Add the celery, onion, bell pepper and garlic to the pan and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. butter and the flour, stirring to incorporate, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the broth and bring to a boil.
Finish the gumbo
Return the chicken and sausage and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the okra, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is opaque throughout and the gumbo has thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, One Pot, by Carrolyn Carreño (Oxmoor House, 2008).