Welcome to Plan n Cook — plan meals, shop once, cook with less stress.

Plan n Cook
login
kitchen
Home kitchen plans

Chicken Gumbo

  1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Chicken Gumbo

Chicken Gumbo

Cuisine:Cajun

Course:Soup

30m prep 1h cook 2h ready

About 11 cups; 6 servings This recipe has gone through several incarnations since it first appeared in the original 1931 edition of Joy. Irma’s version was very brothy and probably unrecognizable as a gumbo. This version walks the line between soup, stew, and fricassee. It is rich, spicy, and made for topping a steaming mound of rice.

Add to Meal Plan

Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 3 pounds bone-in chicken parts
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 ounces andouille, kielbasa, or other smoked sausage, cut into ½-inch slices
  • Vegetable oil
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1
    • 4 to 5 ½ pounds poultry parts, preferably backs, necks, wings, and feet
    • 1 unpeeled onion, coarsely chopped
    • 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
    • 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
    • 3 or 4 sprigs parsley
    • 2 or 3 sprigs thyme
    • 1 bay leaf
    • (1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves)
    • ¼ teaspoon white or black peppercorns
    • (2 whole cloves)
    • Cold water to cover
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Combine in a stockpot: 4 to 5 ½ pounds poultry parts, preferably backs, necks, wings, and feet; 1 unpeeled onion, coarsely chopped; 1 carrot, coarsely chopped; 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped; 3 or 4 sprigs parsley; 2 or 3 sprigs thyme; 1 bay leaf; (1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves); ¼ teaspoon white or black peppercorns; (2 whole cloves)
    2. Add: Cold water to cover
    3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 4 hours. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface during the first hour of cooking and add water as needed to keep the ingredients covered. Strain and cool uncovered, then refrigerate covered. Skim off any fat before storing or using. Use within 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • (1 cup sliced okra)
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • Salt
  • Louisiana-style hot sauce
  • Cooked white rice
  • Sliced green onions
  • (Filé powder)

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Pat dry: 3 pounds bone-in chicken parts

  2. Step 2.

    Season with: 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper

  3. Step 3.

    Set aside. Place a Dutch oven over medium heat and add: 8 ounces andouille, kielbasa, or other smoked sausage, cut into ½-inch slices

  4. Step 4.

    Cook, stirring until the sausage is well browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels. In the rendered fat in the pot, fry the seasoned chicken pieces in batches until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch (do not crowd the pot). Transfer the chicken pieces to the plate with the sausage and pour the fat into a measuring cup. Add: Vegetable oil

  5. Step 5.

    to reach ½ cup. Pour the oil back into the pot, then whisk in bit by bit: ½ cup all-purpose flour

  6. Step 6.

    Cook, stirring frequently, with a wooden spoon over medium heat, until the roux turns dark mahogany brown, about 20 minutes. As the roux darkens, prepare: 1 large onion, chopped; 1 large green bell pepper, chopped; 2 celery ribs, chopped

  7. Step 7.

    Once the roux is ready, add the vegetables and cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Whisk in: 8 cups Poultry Stock, Chicken Broth, or other light stock or broth

  8. Step 8.

    Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce the heat and add the chicken along with: 4 garlic cloves, minced; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  9. Step 9.

    Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes for breast pieces and 35 minutes for thighs. If desired, you may add for the last 10 minutes of cooking: (1 cup sliced okra)

  10. Step 10.

    When the chicken is done, you can serve the pieces whole and provide knives to your guests, or remove them from the pot, let cool, and remove the bones and skin. Shred or coarsely chop the meat, and add it back to the pot, then add: 4 green onions, chopped

  11. Step 11.

    Skim excess fat from the top of the soup. Season to taste with: Salt; Louisiana-style hot sauce

  12. Step 12.

    Serve over: Cooked white rice

  13. Step 13.

    Garnish with: Sliced green onions

  14. Step 14.

    If desired, serve with a shaker of: (Filé powder)

Ratings & reviews

Have you made this? Take a moment and let us know what you think. Sign in to leave a rating.

Get weekly meal ideas

Fresh recipes and planning tips from Plan n Cook.

Plan a week

Drop recipes onto breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day.

One grocery list

Ingredients combined and scaled to your household servings.

Cook from recipes

Browse the library and public kitchens when you need inspiration.

Keep your kitchen

Save favorites, pantry items, and meal plans in one place.