Spicy Chicken Gumbo with Andouille Sausage

Using The Gumbo Shop’s recipe as inspiration, we made a few tweaks to create our own Spicy Chicken Gumbo with The Spice House’s signature spices. We even added extra chicken and veggies, while dialing back some of the spicier seasonings for a perfect balance of flavors.

A satisfying meal, this Spicy Chicken Gumbo with Andouille Sausage is a culinary delight. Honestly, I didn’t even have it for more than two days before it was all gone. My roommate is the most selective eater in the United States, in case you didn’t know. No harm in giving it a shot. Count on us.

Ingredients:

• 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 4 Andouille sausages (sliced into rounds)
• 14 oz. can of chopped and diced tomatoes
• 5 bay leaves
• 3 quarts water
• 4 cups of okra
• 3 cups of diced green bell pepper
• 2/3 cup of vegetable oil (plus 2 tablespoons)
• 2½ cups of chopped onion
• ¾ cup of flour
• ¼ cup of hot sauce
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
• 1½ cups of diced celery
• 2 tbsp of finely chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• Crusty bread (for serving)
• Cooked white rice (for serving)

Instructions:

1. Cook the chicken thighs in a large pot of water. Boil, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour or until the chicken is very tender. Keep the chicken to one side while you strain the water (now stock!) into a big bowl.
2. Heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a sauté pan while the chicken is in the oven. Toss in the okra, and cook over medium heat until the “ropiness” has disappeared. Turn off the heat and set the okra aside once it is cooked.
3. Next up is the crucial process of creating the gumbo roux. Throw 2/3 cup of vegetable oil and 3/4 cup flour into the large pot you used for the chicken. The mixture should be whisked continuously for 20 minutes.
4. Start with a medium-low flame and reduce it to low as it gets darker. The dark caramel color is ideal for the roux.
5. Once the roux has reached the desired shade, toss in the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook them in a sauté pan until tender, then toss them in the roux. This can take a while, as you want to keep the heat at a medium to low setting so that the roux doesn’t burn.
6. When the vegetables have reached the desired tenderness, add the sliced sausage. Add the sautéed okra and tomatoes once the sausage is browned. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Prepare the chicken thighs by peeling off the skin and discarding the bones before shredding them roughly with your hands or two forks.
7. Shred some chicken and added it to the stock. Stir it all together. Bay leaves, thyme, basil, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper should then be added to the mixture. Toss everything together and bring it to a simmer. Stir occasionally while covering the pot and simmering it for an hour.
8. One hour later, stir in the hot sauce and taste to see if more salt is needed. Continue simmering the gumbo for 20-30 minutes.
9. Gumbo is best when accompanied by rice, bread, parsley, and a generous helping of hot sauce.