This chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo simmers in a flavorful dark roux and is a classic taste of New Orleans. Serve over rice for a complete cajun-style meal that is a favorite!
If you love comfort-food style one pot meals try this crockpot jambalaya and slow cooker seafood stew, next!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Authentic flavor: This chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo is made with homemade roux, a “holy trinity” of veggies, fresh meat, seafood, and plenty of Cajun spice.
- One-pot comfort food: This cajun gumbo recipe with is so good served over hot over white rice with some Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- For the roux: Oil and all-purpose flour are cooked together to form a paste and then a gravy-like consistency. This is what thickens the broth.
- Veggies: Diced onion, bell pepper, and celery are known as the holy trinity of veggies. Together they add incredible aromatic flavor.
- Garlic: Minced garlic is another aromatic that always pairs well with anything that has onion in it!
- Protein: Sliced andouille sausage, boneless skinless chicken thighs, and shrimp peeled and deveined. Use any leftover shrimp for one of my favorite shrimp recipes!
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: A can of fire-roasted tomatoes gives the dish a fantastic smoky element without the usual highly acidic tomato flavor from regular tomatoes.
- Chicken broth: Store-bought or homemade broth can be used. It’s what provides the liquid that helps bring the stew together.
- Seasoning: Dried thyme, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Use as little or as much Cajun seasoning as you like depending on how much spice you and your family like.
- Sliced okra: Fresh or frozen okra is a vegetable that comes from a seed plant and is sometimes a bit slimy, which actually works in our favor as it helps to thicken the gumbo. When cooked just right it is delicious! And unlike other veggies it actually contains protein.
- Worcestershire sauce: A salty, savory flavor addition for an extra depth of flavor.
How to Make Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo
In a large pot or Dutch oven, slowly whisk the flour into the heated oil over medium-low heat. Making a dark roux takes much longer than a light roux, you’ll be mixing for about 20 minutes until it turns a dark brown color with a nutty aroma.
Stir the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic into the roux and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the sausage and chicken. Cook, rotating the chicken pieces, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is browned on all sides
Stir in the tomatoes, broth, and all the seasoning. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp, okra, and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve with white rice.
Tips for Making the Perfect Roux for Gumbo
There are different types of roux varying from light to dark. Light roux is formed in a few minutes and is great to use for white sauces and light gravies. A dark roux is what we want for gumbo. It requires some patience but it’s worth every second!
- I like to use a large heavy-bottomed pot or cast iron Dutch oven, this allows you to continue making the gumbo in the same pot after the roux is ready.
- A wooden spatula or flat bottomed wooden spoon is useful to scrape flour bits off the bottom of the pan so they don’t burn.
- It can be made with oil, butter, or bacon grease and flour. However, for Cajun gumbo, the roux is made with oil as it has a higher smoke point than butter.
- For a dark brown color, stir constantly over medium-low heat for about 20-25 minutes.
- It passes through the various stages of roux to get to what we want, which is dark brown, rich in flavor, and has a gravy-like consistency and looks a bit like melted chocolate.
- Roux can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use in the gumbo.
More comforting Southern recipes we love include these New Orleans beignets, sweet cornbread and biscuits and gravy!
More Comfort Food Recipes
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Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil , or bacon grease
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large onion , finely diced
- 1 bell pepper , finely diced
- 2 celery stalks , finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 pound andouille sausage , sliced
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs , cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-3 teaspoons cajun seasoning , adjust to your spice level
- Kosher salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
- 1 pound shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 1 cup okra , sliced (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Cooked white rice , for serving
- 4 green onions , thinly sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Roux. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2/3 cup oil over medium-low heat. Whisk in 2/3 cup flour slowly and whisk constantly until it turns a rich brown color (about 20 minutes). Continue stirring being careful not to burn it. This is the roux and you want it to be a thick consistency.
- Holy trinity of veggies. Stir in 1 diced onion, 1 bell pepper, 2 celery stalks, and 4 cloves garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.
- Add one pound sausage and one pound chicken. Cook, rotating the chicken pieces, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is browned on all sides. Alternatively you can brown the meat with some oil in a separate skillet and add in.
- Simmer. Stir in 14 ounce can tomatoes, 4 cups chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1-3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes.
- Add shrimp. Stir in one pound shrimp, 1 cup okra, and 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through and the okra is tender.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper, and Cajun seasoning, if desired.
- Serve gumbo warm over cooked white rice and topped with sliced green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Um no, tomato does not go in gumbo. This is not authentic gumbo. Y’all just be calling anything gumbo.
OMG this was sooooo good! We didn’t have any leftovers!
This meal takes me to New Orleans!! It’s bursting with flavor, hearty, & so yummy!!
This turned out amazing! So flavorful. My whole family loved it.