Make A Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Updated: 17 hours ago
There are certain dishes that don’t just taste like Louisiana—they feel like Louisiana. And gumbo may be at the very top of that list.
A pot of gumbo simmering on the stove means something. It means family is coming over. It means there’s probably going to be more food than anybody can eat. It means somebody is going to stand over the pot, take a taste, add a little seasoning, take another taste—and tell everybody else to stay out of it until it’s ready.
That’s Cajun cooking.
This classic Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo brings together a deep chocolate-brown roux, the traditional Cajun trinity, tender chicken, smoky sausage and plenty of Louisiana flavor.
And while every Cajun family seems to have its own way of making gumbo, this recipe is a great place to start.
The Secret to Great Gumbo? The Roux.
If you want to make a great Cajun gumbo, you've got to respect the roux.
For this recipe, we're combining 1 cup of grapeseed oil with 1 cup of all-purpose flour and slowly cooking the mixture until it reaches a rich chocolate-brown color.
This is where patience pays off.
As the roux gets darker, the flavor becomes deeper, richer and nuttier. But there's a catch: the darker it gets, the easier it is to burn.
So once you start that roux, don't walk away from the pot.
Keep whisking.
If you've ever wondered why Grandma could spend so much time standing over a gumbo pot, now you know.
Classic Cajun Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Total Time: Approximately 90 minutes
Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
2 pounds smoked sausage
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup grapeseed oil
1 yellow onion
1 bell pepper
2 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Cajun seasoning — P’Maws Cajun Shake
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Black pepper
Thyme
White rice
Step 1: Prepare the Cajun Trinity
Finely chop the onion, bell pepper and celery. Mince the garlic and set everything aside.
The combination of onion, celery and bell pepper is commonly known as the Cajun trinity, and it's one of the foundational flavor combinations in Louisiana cooking.
You'll understand why the moment it hits that hot roux.
Step 2: Brown the Chicken and Sausage
Add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a large skillet.
Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, being careful not to cook them completely through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
Next, slice the smoked sausage to your preferred thickness and brown the slices in the same skillet.
Don't rush this step. Browning the meat helps develop another layer of flavor that will eventually make its way into the gumbo.
Step 3: Make That Beautiful Dark Roux
Add 1 cup of grapeseed oil to a 4-quart Dutch oven and place it over medium heat.
When the oil begins to heat, slowly whisk in 1 cup of flour.
Continue whisking as the flour cooks and the roux begins to darken.
You're looking for a deep chocolate-brown color.
And here's the important part:
DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE POT!
A dark roux can burn quickly, so keep stirring or whisking continuously.
Step 4: Add the Trinity
Once the roux reaches that beautiful chocolate-brown color, add the chopped onion, celery and bell pepper.
Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until the onions begin to turn translucent.
Now lower the heat to medium and add:
2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon thyme, 2 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon black pepper.
Give everything a good stir.
At this point, your kitchen ought to be smelling pretty good!
Step 5: Bring the Gumbo Together
Once the vegetables and seasonings are thoroughly incorporated into the roux, return the browned chicken thighs and sausage to the pot.
Add 4 cups of chicken stock and stir generously.
Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring frequently.
Then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and allow the gumbo to cook for approximately one hour.
After about 15 minutes, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Remember, Cajun cooking isn't just about following measurements on a page.
Taste your food.
That's how you make it yours.
Step 6: Get the Rice Ready
While the gumbo is simmering, prepare your white rice.
When everything is ready, spoon some rice into a soup bowl and generously ladle the hot gumbo over the top.
Make sure everybody gets plenty of chicken and sausage.
Then sit down and enjoy.
There Is No Such Thing as Just One Cajun Gumbo
One of the beautiful things about Louisiana cooking is that recipes change from family to family and community to community.
Ask ten Cajuns how to make gumbo and you may get eleven answers.
Some prefer chicken and sausage. Some make seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp, crab and oysters. Some make their roux almost black. Others stop at milk-chocolate brown. Some add filé. Some use okra.
And then there's that other question...
Tomatoes in gumbo?
We're not getting into that fight today!
What matters is that gumbo represents something much bigger than a recipe.
It's part of the way Louisiana families have gathered, celebrated, cooked and shared life for generations.
Gumbo Is Better When It's Shared
That's really what Cajun food is about.
We don't just cook because we're hungry.
We cook because food brings people together.
A big pot of gumbo sitting in the middle of the table has a wonderful way of turning dinner into an event. Somebody brings the French bread. Somebody makes the rice. Somebody else shows up unexpectedly—and somehow there's always enough.
That's the Louisiana way.
At Cajun Lifestyle Network, that's the Louisiana we want to share with the world: the food, outdoor adventures, people, places, traditions and stories that make our home unlike anywhere else.
So put on a pot of gumbo, invite somebody over and enjoy a little taste of Louisiana.
Experience the Real Louisiana.
Bon appétit, y'all!
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