Cajun Hen and Sausage Gumbo

Aromatic and hearty hen and sausage gumbo packs a lot taste into a fast, one-pot meal! This Cajun-style gumbo combines juicy andouille sausage with hen, okra, and loads of veggies, thickened with a roux.

If you happen to love Southern cooking like a traditional seafood boil and Louisiana pink beans and rice, this gumbo recipe belongs in your kitchen!

It’s Mardi Gras week, and in the event you can’t be in New Orleans, do what I do, and produce New Orleans to your kitchen with an enormous, steamy, spicy pot of selfmade gumbo! I make this hen and sausage gumbo yearly and serve it up over rice. It goes nice with a glass of sorrel punch (regardless that that’s Jamaican), and I can virtually hear the brass bands within the distance. The flavors on this stew are daring and somewhat spicy, and in the event you’re new to Cajun cooking, a traditional gumbo is the very best place to start out!

Why I Love This Gumbo Recipe

• There’s a great deal of daring Cajun taste. I like hearty stews with unique flavors like Indian Mulligatawny stew and Caribbean-style Sancocho Dominicano, and this hen and sausage gumbo is one other favourite. Smoky, spicy Cajun seasonings and a handful of Southern-style elements pack each bowl filled with taste.
• It’s hearty. Nobody does consolation meals fairly just like the South, and this hen and sausage gumbo recipe has consolation in spades! Juicy sausage, tender hen, veggies, and a wealthy tomato broth make it a meal in a single when you serve it over rice.
• It’s fast. Conventional gumbo is slow-cooked for hours, however I take advantage of just a few simple shortcuts to construct loads of taste in somewhat over half-hour.
• I make it in a single pot. All the pieces sautés, sears, and simmers in a single pot, so clean-up is a breeze afterward.

Elements You’ll Want

Gumbo makes use of the “holy trinity” of Cajun and Creole cooking: onions, bell peppers, and celery. It’s just like Italian soffritto, or a mirepoix in French recipes (onion, carrot, and celery). 

This trio creates an fragrant taste base for the stew, upon which we’ll add our different elements. Try some fast notes right here, and scroll all the way down to the recipe card for a printable checklist and recipe particulars.

• Andouille Sausage – Andouille is a smoked pork sausage that originated in France, and it’s the normal selection in Cajun recipes, like gumbo. I additionally use it in my jambalaya stuffed peppers and sheet pan shrimp boil.  
• Butter, Oil, and Flour – Gumbo recipes are thickened with a “roux”, a paste created from butter and all-purpose flour. I embody somewhat vegetable oil in mine.
• Hen – I take advantage of boneless, skinless hen breasts, however thighs work, too. Chop the hen into 1 ½” chunks.
• Veggies – Right here we’ve got our “holy trinity” of diced yellow onion, bell pepper, and celery. I like so as to add minced garlic, too. If you happen to don’t have a sure ingredient, you possibly can skip it, or swap it for diced carrots.
• Cajun Seasoning – It is a smoky mixture of spices like paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, thyme, and different elements. You may acknowledge it from recipes like my Cajun fries and roasted Cajun hen (you possibly can confer with these recipes for a selfmade model!). You’ll discover Cajun spice in most grocery shops, too.
• Hen Broth – I wish to prepare dinner with low-sodium hen broth.
• Tomatoes – Diced tomatoes aren’t usually utilized in Cajun gumbo (they’re historically a Creole addition), however I just like the tangy sweetness. They are often recent or canned.
• Okra – Okra is an edible inexperienced pod, form of like a inexperienced bean, with a light and grassy taste. It’s standard in Southern recipes and also you’ll discover it in grocery shops year-round, relying on the place you reside. If you happen to can’t get okra the place you might be, you possibly can substitute it with inexperienced beans or eggplant as a substitute.
• Rice – For serving. I take advantage of brown rice however be at liberty to make use of white rice or any sort you’d like.

The way to Make Hen and Sausage Gumbo

I make my hen and sausage gumbo in a Dutch oven, however any giant, heavy pot will do. It’s surprisingly simple to make from scratch! Collect your elements and comply with the steps beneath. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for the printable directions.

• Cook dinner the sausage. Begin by browning the andouille sausage over medium warmth. As soon as it’s cooked on either side, take away it from the pot.
• Make a roux. Soften butter with somewhat oil, after which whisk within the flour to make a paste. Let that prepare dinner off for a few minutes.
• Sauté the hen. Add the hen to the pot, and let it sear for about 5 minutes till it’s cooked by way of.
• Mix. Now, you’ll stir in your onions, bell pepper, and celery together with the seasonings. When the veggies are tender, add the hen broth and tomatoes and produce the entire thing to a boil.
• End and serve. Add the cooked sausage again into the stew together with your sliced okra. Go away the gumbo to simmer for just a few extra minutes so that may prepare dinner by way of, and also you’re able to serve.

Serving Options

If I’m going all out with a New Orleans-style feast, I’ll serve this hen and sausage gumbo over brown rice alongside collard greens. I additionally wish to have some fluffy rolls or French bread slices useful to sop up the broth. Gumbo additionally pairs very well with seafood, so if I actually wish to spherical out the meal I’ll throw some lobster tails within the oven, or get my sluggish cooker shrimp and grits began within the morning. And since we’re celebrating Mardi Gras, have a slice of bananas foster the wrong way up cake or turtle pie for dessert!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Retailer leftover hen and sausage gumbo hermetic within the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheat. Heat the gumbo in a saucepan, stirring sometimes, till it’s heated by way of. It’s also possible to use the microwave. The broth typically thickens up over time, so stir in somewhat water or additional hen inventory if wanted.
• Freeze. You’ll be able to freeze gumbo for as much as 3 months. Thaw it within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.

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