Chicken Gumbo recipe?

[DawnCt1]

I have a rotisserie chicken and I was going to make typical chicken soup, but I was wondering if anyone has a recipe for gumbo. I have never made it.

 

[sbouncer]

Dawn,

Here is the recipe that I have been using for many years and my family loves it....If you use it, let me know if they liked it......

1 cup oil
• 1 cup flour
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 4 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 quarts chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large chicken (young hen preferred), cut into pieces
• 2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 bunch scallions (green onions), tops only, chopped
• 2/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
• Filé powder to taste
Season the chicken with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning and brown quickly. Brown the sausage, pour off fat and reserve meats.
In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to high heat (depending on your roux-making skill), stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish-brown color, almost the color of coffee or milk chocolate for a Cajun-style roux. If you want to save time, or prefer a more New Orleans-style roux, cook it to a medium, peanut-butter color, over lower heat if you're nervous about burning it.
Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.
Add the stock, seasonings, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then cook for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.
Add the chopped scallion tops and parsley, and heat for 5 minutes. Serve over rice in large shallow bowls. Accompany with a good beer and lots of hot, crispy French bread.
YIELD: About 12 entrée sized servings.

 

[Mommy2three]

this sounds really good, think I will make some tonight for dinner!

 

[DawnCt1]

Thank you. I knew I would need the sausage and bell pepper, so I stopped and got some. I think I have cajun spice, is it the same thing?

 

[sbouncer]

It is basically the same thing.......You'll love it!!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

It is basically the same thing.......You'll love it!!!!

I have never made this before. There are no tomatoes in gumbo?

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Definitely no tomatoes in gumbo! sbouncer's recipe looks pretty good and is making me hungry. The roux is the tricky part though--you have to watch and stir constantly or it will burn! I actually buy a roux in a jar, but it's probably something that's only available regionally.

 

[DawnCt1]

Definitely no tomatoes in gumbo! sbouncer's recipe looks pretty good and is making me hungry. The roux is the tricky part though--you have to watch and stir constantly or it will burn! I actually buy a roux in a jar, but it's probably something that's only available regionally.

So the roux is why it is reddish. Now I know. Also, what about ocra. I bought frozen ocra. No fresh stuff up north.

 

[NotUrsula]

Oh, you can put tomato in gumbo, but you wouldn't normally put any in CHICKEN gumbo; makes it too much like cacciatore. It is not unusual in seafood gumbos, however, particularly the more Creole variations. I put tomato puree in my shrimp gumbo, but I'd never put it in chicken or turkey gumbo.

Red broth in a gumbo is *usually* indicative of the presence of tomato, but in a gumbo with sausage it can sometimes come from food coloring leaching out of the sausage, or from a lot of paprika or cayenne. Normally a chicken/sausage gumbo will have a dark brown roux; pretty much the color of beef gravy.

Okra is a thickening agent; the sap in it thickens the broth. If you use it you will want to up the ratio of water a little bit; otherwise your soup might overthicken.

The other common thickening agent is filé (ground sassafras leaves.) Okra and filé are mutually exclusive; you can't use them both without nasty flavor results. If you use filé, put it out to be added at the table; don't cook it in, as it can impart some bitterness if cooked. Filé is not spicy, but it is aromatic; it will clear your sinuses (and other bodily systems, too, if you use too much and are not used to it!)

PS: For the finer points of roux-making techniques, here's an explanation from Chef Alex Patout in the New Orleans Times-Picayune:
http://www.nola.com/food/patout/recipe.ssf?basics/roux.html

 

[DawnCt1]

Thank you everyone! I made it. Its done! I love it. No tomatoes, even though I had them. I did good with the roux although it took about 20 minutes. I cooked the frozen ocra first, and I think I should have just added it, because it would have thickened the gumbo a little more, but it is just fine the way it is. I am making corn bread to go with it. I ended up with a HUGE pot. I had to thaw out chicken breast and add it in.

 

[NotUrsula]

Good for you. Just FYI, gumbo is even better after it has been frozen; the flavors mellow very well. Put your leftovers in the freezer and you'll have yourself a nice meal for another day.

I freeze it in lunch portions to take to work; our coworkers regularly drool over the aroma.

 

[sbouncer]

Glad you liked it Dawn.....And yes, do freeze the leftovers it will taste even better later.

 

[ilovejack02]

Thank you everyone! I made it. Its done! I love it. No tomatoes, even though I had them. I did good with the roux although it took about 20 minutes. I cooked the frozen ocra first, and I think I should have just added it, because it would have thickened the gumbo a little more, but it is just fine the way it is. I am making corn bread to go with it. I ended up with a HUGE pot. I had to thaw out chicken breast and add it in.

If you would have just added the okra first it prob would have ended up slimy, always cook okra first to cut down on the "slime"

I dont put okra in gumbo, I just do a really thick roux.. good and dark Yummy and add file, but I imagine you cant get it in your area.

 

[moburg]

I have a rotisserie chicken and I was going to make typical chicken soup, but I was wondering if anyone has a recipe for gumbo. I have never made it.

Chicken Gumbo sounds good too, but let me suggest Chicken Bog! A good southern chicken & rice recipe I make for tailgating during football season.

Ingredients
• 1 3 pound chicken, quartered
• 1 pound smoked link sausage (perhaps smoked turkey sausage)
• 1 White onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 teaspoons Seasoned Salt (Lawry's)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3 Bay leaves
• 8 cups of water
• 3 cups raw white rice (I mix white rice, yellow rice and long grain rice)

Directions
• Slice the sausage into 1/2 inch pieces.
• In a stockpot, combine chicken, sausage, onion, butter, seasonings and bay leaves.
• Add the water, bring to a boil, cover and cook at a low boil for 40 minutes.
• Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool slightly.
• Pick the meat off the bones, discard bones and skin. (you want small and medium bite size chunks of chicken)
• Add the rice to the pot when chicken comes out and bring to a boil, stirring well.
• Boil for 10 minutes then reduce the heat and cover the pot and simmer for 10 more minutes or until rice is done.
• Remove the bay leaves and return the chicken to the pot, mix well.
• Eat!

 

[moburg]

Thank you everyone! I made it. Its done! I love it. No tomatoes, even though I had them. I did good with the roux although it took about 20 minutes. I cooked the frozen ocra first, and I think I should have just added it, because it would have thickened the gumbo a little more, but it is just fine the way it is. I am making corn bread to go with it. I ended up with a HUGE pot. I had to thaw out chicken breast and add it in.

But, I think I will try this Gumbo at some point too! It sounds yummy!!

 

[Carpenters]

Where I'm from (SW Louisiana), you have two kinds of gumbo--The one with roux, OR one with okra, but we'd never add okra to a gumbo made with roux. My kids may be the only ones in western NY who ask, "Which kind?" when told we're having gumbo for supper. There's as many kinds of recipes for gumbo as there are people, though, so as long as it tastes good, let the good times roll!

 

[Mommy2three]

I made the gumbo recipie last night for dinner and it was a hit! Everyone loved it, even the kiddos!