Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Authentic Cajun chicken and sausage gumbo recipe, from an actual Louisiana native! This gumbo is rich in flavor with a dark roux, the holy trinity, smoky andouille sausage, and seasoned chicken served over perfectly cooked rice. It’s a south Louisiana specialty!
The Best Cajun Gumbo Recipe
Gumbo is a popular and classic cajun dish served in south Louisiana. It’s right up there with Jambalaya, Crawfish Étouffée, and Red Beans and Rice.
The secret to a good gumbo is all in the roux! Getting a dark roux gives your gumbo that distinctive deep and rich flavor. I’ve been cooking chicken and sausage gumbo for years, which means I’ve messed up quite a few batches of dark roux. Follow my expert tips to make sure you get your roux right the first time!
For a deeper dive on gumbo roux, check out How to Make Roux for Gumbo, Oven Roux for Gumbo, and Microwave Roux!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Lauren’s Take: Gumbo made right really is a flavor unlike any other. Take your time getting the roux to the right chocolate color for the best flavor.
Taste: Rich and deeply flavored from the chocolate roux. Just the right amount of heat from cayenne pepper and spicy andouille sausage.
Texture: The consistency of this gumbo is somewhere between a stew and a soup. It should be thicker than broth, but less thick than gravy.
Time: It will take about 2 hours to make this gumbo. Check out my tips below for some ways to save time and get this gumbo ready in half the time!
So What Makes a Gumbo a Gumbo?
There are as many versions of gumbo as there are cajun and creole cooks. Everyone has a different version.
- Thickness – Some people like their gumbo more thin like a soup, and some like it thicker more like a stew. Either way is fine, but I like it right in the middle.
- Okra – A gumbo doesn’t need to include okra, although many classic gumbo recipes include it.
- Tomatoes – A true Cajun gumbo does NOT include tomatoes. Tomatoes would be a Creole gumbo.
- Roux – To me, the hallmark of a good gumbo is the deep rich chocolate color roux, but I’ve heard there are some people who make their gumbo with a lighter roux and some without a roux at all!
- Filé – Filé powder is ground sassafras leaves that some people add to their gumbo for thickening and flavor. I usually don’t add filé to my gumbo, but if you do, add it sparingly at the end once you’ve removed the pot from heat.
- Protein – There are various meats that can go in a gumbo, most commonly cajun andouille sausage and chicken. There are also seafood gumbos that have crab and shrimp in them. Leah Chase of the New Orleans famous Dookie Chase restaurant created Gumbo Z’Herbes which has tons of greens, ham hock, sausage, and even brisket.
The “right” way to make a gumbo is a HIGHLY debated topic among gumbo makers and tasters. I want you to know there really is no right way to make a gumbo. If your family likes it a little differently, then that is just fine.
Ingredients & Substitutions
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Seasonings – For this recipe, you’ll make your own cajun chicken seasoning, which in turn flavors the gumbo. You’ll need garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried basil, dried oregano, dried, thyme, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. This chicken seasoning is also great to use in other chicken recipes! You can also add cajun seasoning to taste at the end of cooking.
Andouille sausage – Andouille is a spicy cajun pork sausage. If you can’t find it in your area, or want something less spicy, any smoked sausage will do. Love andouille? Try this Creamy Cajun Andouille Sausage Pasta.
Bone-in chicken thighs – Simmering chicken thighs with the bones adds even more flavor to this gumbo. Substitute for boneless chicken thighs if needed. You can also use bone in chicken breasts.
All purpose flour and oil – This is the base of the roux. Use a neutral oil for the roux like vegetable oil, avocado oil, or canola oil. You can even use bacon grease, but this may overpower the other flavors. I prefer not to use butter or olive oil.
The holy trinity – The Cajun Holy Trinity consists of onion, bell pepper, and celery. I like to do both red and green bell peppers to add in a little extra flavor. Garlic is the honorary member.
Other produce – Fresh parsley and green onions help round out the rich flavor of this gumbo.
White rice – Gumbo is traditionally served over white rice. See How to Cook Perfectly Fluffy White Rice Every Time.
Cardinal Rules for Making a Gumbo Roux
Don’t be intimidated by making a gumbo! Keep some of these expert tips in mind, and you’ll make a delicious gumbo roux.
- Don’t walk away from the roux! Roux can burn easily, so you need to stay near stirring constantly. A burnt roux is a sad sad thing, because there is no coming back from it. If you burn the roux, you have to start again. A burnt roux will be bitter, and there will be flecks of black in it. Keep the heat low and slow, and keep stirring. If you keep burning your roux, try making an oven roux.
- Get it dark. Roux should be a rich chocolate brown color for the best flavor. You want it dark, but not too dark. If your roux gets to the color of dark chocolate, it can become bitter. Don’t add in the veggies until you get the right color. The holy trinity will stop the roux from getting any darker.
- Never add cold ingredients to a hot roux. This can cause the roux to break. Always let the holy trinity come to room temperature, and heat up the broth before adding to the roux.
Equipment needed
How to Make Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Step One: Sear
Heat the pot over medium heat. Brown sausage and set aside, then brown the seasoned chicken in the same pot and set aside.
Step Two: Roux
Whisk flour and oil together. Cook over medium-low heat while stirring near constantly until the roux is a rich chocolate color. This should take about 45 minutes.
If you need more help getting a dark brown roux, check out How to Make Roux for Gumbo or try making an oven roux.
Step Three: Sauté
Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the roux and stir together. Sauté until vegetables are softening, then add garlic.
Step Four: Simmer
Slowly add in hot broth and mix until well incorporated. Add meat back to the pot with parsley, green onions, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Step Five: Debone
Remove chicken to cool slightly. Debone and chop meat into bite sized pieces, then return chicken to the pot.
Step Six: Finish
Stir in remaining parsley and green onions and taste for final seasoning. Serve gumbo over rice and garnish with green onions, parsley, and a scoop of potato salad!
Storage & make ahead
Storage: Store leftover gumbo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Store rice separately.
Freeze: Chicken and sausage gumbo freezes very well. Cool the gumbo and store in a freezer safe container for about 6 months.
Reheat: This recipe reheats just fine in the microwave or over medium-low heat in a saucepan.
Make ahead: Chicken and sausage gumbo is great to make ahead of time and keeps well. Make 1 day in advance. Do not store the whole pot in the refrigerator, or it will be very hard to cool down. If storing a whole batch, break it up into a few different containers so it gets to a safe temperature faster.
Ways to Make This Gumbo Recipe Easier
Making a good gumbo is a labor of love, and takes some time. If you’re in a rush, here are some time saving tips to make this gumbo easier and faster!
- Use a pre-made roux. Making a roux is the hardest part (and the longest) about making a gumbo. Save some time by using store bought jar roux like Savoie’s Old Fashioned Dark Roux. You can also make your own oven roux ahead of time and store it for later. It lasts about 6 months in the refrigerator.
- Make a microwave roux. Making a roux in the microwave is a huge time saver and indistinguishable from a roux made on the stove top. It can burn really easily though, so be careful! Check out how to make a microwave roux for all the details.
- Skip the searing. I always sear the sausage and chicken first to add extra flavor, but if you’re in a rush, you can skip the browning step.
- Use a rotisserie chicken. Remove the meat from the bones and chop into bite sized pieces. Simmer the carcass in the gumbo for extra flavor, then add in the chopped chicken towards the end of cooking.
What to Serve With Gumbo
My two essentials for serving with gumbo are perfectly cooked white rice and potato salad. See What to Serve with Gumbo for even more ideas!
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t have to cook or brown sausage before adding it to gumbo, but it does add an additional layer of flavor. To save time, just add it in without searing it.
Browning the chicken before adding it to gumbo is an optional step, but adds extra flavor. I always brown my chicken first to develop a more flavorful coating on the chicken.
Classic gumbo is made with andouille sausage. It’s a spicy cajun sausage with French roots. It is made from pork and different brands have varying degrees of heat. I prefer Savoie’s andouille sausage. Another very popular sausage for gumbo is the Conecuh brand.
Both jambalaya and gumbo are cajun dishes that feature the cajun holy trinity and rice, and sometimes they both can have chicken and sausage. Gumbo is a stew like dish made with a dark roux and served over rice, where jambalaya is a rice based dish that usually doesn’t have a roux, and does not have a stew-like consistency.
More Cajun Recipes
Did you love this recipe? It would be AMAZING if you left a comment or rating and shared it on social media!
It helps bloggers like me stand out in the crowd and get our recipes to more people.
I appreciate you ♥️
Authentic Cajun Sausage and Chicken Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Gumbo
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 pound andouille sausage
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 cups vegetable oil or avocado oil
- 3 pounds bone in chicken thighs
- 1 large yellow onion about 2 ½ cups chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper about 1 cup chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper about 1 cup chopped
- 4-5 celery stalks about 1 cup chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 6 cups chicken broth warmed
- 3 bay leaves
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley divided
- 3-5 green onions about 1 cup chopped, divided
- Salt black pepper, and cajun seasoning to taste
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- PREP: Mix chicken seasoning and set aside. Chop onion, bell peppers, celery, and green onions. Finely chop parsley. Mince garlic. Slice sausage into bite sized pieces. Remove skin from chicken, and pat thighs dry. Season evenly with chicken seasoning mix.1 large yellow onion, 1 small green bell pepper, 1 small red bell pepper, 4-5 celery stalks, ¼ cup finely chopped parsley, 3-5 green onions, 5 cloves garlic
- SEAR: Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat, then add olive oil. Sear sausage until browned, about 10 minutes total. Remove sausage from pot and drain on paper towels.1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- BROWN: In the same pot, sear the chicken until browned on both sides, about 3-5 minutes each side. Do in batches if needed for better browning. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Drain the grease and wipe out the pot if there are any burned bits.
- ROUX: Turn heat to medium-low heat, and add flour and oil. Whisk together to get out all lumps. Cook while stirring frequently until the roux is a rich chocolate color. This process should take about 45 minutes. *Do not leave the roux unattended, it can burn quickly.1 ¼ cups flour, 1 cups vegetable oil
- SAUTÉ: Once the roux is the right color,* add in the chopped onions, bell pepper, and celery while stirring until all vegetables are added. Cook on medium low while stirring for about 5 minutes until vegetables are wilting. Add garlic and cook another minute.
- SIMMER: Slowly add hot broth, about ½ cup at a time, while stirring to the roux and vegetable mixture. Mix and add broth until it is all added and smoothly incorporated into the roux. Drain any excess grease from the chicken and sausage and add back them into the pot with half of the parsley and half green onions, plus bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Skim off any foam or excess fat that rises to the top.6 cups chicken broth, 3 bay leaves
- DEBONE: Remove chicken to a cutting board and allow it to cool enough to handle. Separate the meat and discard the bones and cartilage. Chop chicken into bite sized pieces, and add it back to the pot.
- FINISH: Stir in remaining parsley and green onion, saving some for garnish. Taste for proper seasoning and add salt, black pepper, or cajun seasoning as needed.
- SERVE: Serve gumbo over rice and garnish with green onions, parsley, and a scoop of potato salad.
Notes
- Substitute andouille sausage for any other smoked sausage.
- If using a premade roux, substitute flour and oil for 1 ¼ cup dark roux. Add the roux to the pot after you remove the chicken. Warm up the roux until a piece of onion thrown in sizzles, then add the rest of the holy trinity, and proceed with the recipe per directions.
- Don’t walk away from the roux. It can burn easily, and then you have to start over.
- Never add cold ingredients to a hot roux. Doing this can cause it to break. If you prepped the holy trinity ahead of time, let it come to room temperature before adding the roux. Make sure to warm the chicken broth before adding it to the roux.
- If you’re struggling with roux, read How to Make Roux for Gumbo or try making an oven roux instead.
Equipment
- Whisk
- Tongs
Nutrition
Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
where y’at?
Let’s get social, cher! Come hang out with me and get a little peak into the life of a food blogger.
Just so good and hearty . We really enjoyed this gumbo.5 stars the last star would not pop up.
So glad you enjoyed it!
My husband and I love to cook and try new things. This recipe was amazing! So much flavor. This was our first time making a roux like this and you definitely have to trust the process! Thank you so much for this recipe! We will be making this more often. I also wasn’t able to add all five stars but this was 10/10!
HI Danielle, I am so happy yall loved this gumbo! You definitely have to make it again when the weather starts cooling down 🙂