This is a Louisiana Classic - a New Orleans Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe that is an old Cajun version. Smoked sausage, delicious soft chicken cooked with Cajun spices. It's comfort food heaven.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is thought of as more a cold weather food, but we eat it year round. It's too good to only have during one season.
Chicken Gumbo is the best comfort food you'll ever eat.
Jump to:
- What makes this recipe so yummy
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: Equipment
- How to store leftovers
- What To Serve With Gumbo
- More great southern recipes I think you'll love
- Mel's kitchen notes
- Frequently asked questions: FAQs
- More Gumbo Recipes
- Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Classed as a soup, served with rice and potato salad, it's a combination of chicken, smoked sausage, broth and most importantly the rich flavor of a good gumbo roux.
What makes this recipe so yummy
- It's not too hard to make. The most time consuming is the roux - once you have all the ingredients added it cooks by itself pretty much.
- A Chicken Sausage Gumbo Recipe is one of those dishes that gets better the next day. That's why I love to make such a big pot of it. It feeds us a couple of days then should I have any extra I freeze some.
- I would never have thought potato salad would go with something like this - but boy I'm glad I tried it. That is a flavor combination that will knock your socks off. Try my Cajun Potato Salad to go with this gumbo recipe.
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil - we just keep it simple and stick with vegetable oil.
- All Purpose Flour
- Smoked Sausage - my favorite to use is Johnsonville's Polska Kielbasa.
- Smoky Andouille Sausage - Try this homemade recipe. Andouille is an important part of a Louisiana gumbo as it has a unique flavor.
- Yellow Onions
- Green Bell Pepper
- Celery
- Garlic
- Chicken Broth - instead of buying a rotisserie chicken, sometimes we boil it in water to make our own stock. Using store bought works fine too.
- Fresh Thyme
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Creole Seasoning
- Bay Leaves - bay leaf is great for lightening up a hearty meal adding a subtle extra layer of flavor.
- Chicken Thighs
- Rotisserie Chicken - we use both, mostly because we like both textures - the rotisserie chicken is so soft whereas the thighs retain their shape a little more.
See recipe card for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Add the vegetable oil to the large pot and turn on the heat to medium.
- Step 2: Add the flour and stir to combine.
- Step 3: Cook this roux until you get a dark roux - dark chocolate in color.
- Step 4: Add the sliced sausage and andouille sausage and caramelize.
- Step 5: Add the holy trinity of vegetables - chopped onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over medium-high heat until translucent.
- Step 6: Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
- Step 7: Add the chicken broth and stir well.
- Step 8: Add the seasonings, thyme and bay leaves.
- Step 9: Add the cut up chicken thighs. Add the lid to the pot and simmer for 3 hours.
- Step 10: Add the deboned rotisserie chicken and cover again.
- Step 11: Simmer another 20 minutes.
- Step 12: Serve with white rice and potato salad.
Hint: Cooking the roux is one of the most important parts of making your gumbo (see my post about making a roux here). Cook over a low heat and don't rush it. You cannot burn it, if you do you will HAVE to start again.
It truly is a labor of love.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Canola Oil - you can use canola oil too. It's just as good.
- Cayenne Pepper - If you want to imbue some heat you can do it with Cayenne pepper, or hot sauce for more spicy flavors.
- Chicken - I use chicken thighs and a rotisserie chicken but you could use chicken breast too if you like - it won't break up like the thighs though.
- Chicken Stock - if you prefer you could use stock - it's slightly more expensive though - this is because it's better.
- Cajun Seasoning - pretty much the same as Creole Seasoning.
- Tomatoes - Creole gumbos have tomatoes in them. This gumbo recipe is a Cajun recipe and so has no tomatoes.
- Okra - a lot of people have okra in their gumbo. It's ok, I don't mind it but I find the kids don't appreciate it.
- Worcestershire Sauce - to add more umami flavors.
- Crab Meat - add a little of this for a more seafood gumbo.
- Various Meats - if you have some leftover pork, or chicken, or beef you could use these. It will all taste good. Even shrimp.
- Filé Powder - from Sassafras, adds flavor and is a thickening agent.
Most Cajun Seasonings will have a good bit of salt included. Taste the gumbo to check for seasoning. Add kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
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Necessary gear: Equipment
This recipe is for a big pot. It'll make somewhere around 14-16 servings. You'll need a big stock pot (around 12 Quart or more). In the images, I have used my large Dutch Oven.
I also recommend a good roux spoon (or flat wooden spoon) - I have the pot and the roux spoon listed in my recipe card below.
How to store leftovers
Once the sausage & chicken gumbo has cooled completely it will need to be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will stay good for 3 days.
This classic Gumbo freezes really well, store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Gumbo
Always have white rice, a long grain white rice is our favorite. Some people also like to use Jasmine rice.
A delicious southern potato salad also works well on the side. I actually spoon mine into my gumbo then just get busy.
You could offer some cornbread, and some gumbo file (a powder made from the leaves of the sassafras tree - it helps thicken).
Wash all this down with a tall glass of southern Sweet Tea.
More great southern recipes I think you'll love
Mel's kitchen notes
As soon as the gumbo has cooled take enough for another meal on another day for your family and put into the freezer. Chicken and sausage gumbo is one of those dishes that tastes even better the day after.
Frequently asked questions: FAQs
You don't have to, but the reason I caramelize them in the roux is the flavor that this adds to the gumbo can't be beat.
One of the reasons one would do this is to help keep the meat holding its shape. We don't want the chicken to hold its shape. It's better that it fall apart - trust me. So no, browning the chicken is not necessary.
More Gumbo Recipes
If you're a fan of chicken, you should try this copycat recipe for Bojangles Fried Chicken, it's so good!
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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1-¾ Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 Pounds Smoked Sausage sliced
- ⅔ Pound Andouille Sausage chopped
- 2 Each Yellow Onions diced
- 2 Ribs Celery diced
- 2 Each Green Bell Peppers diced
- 5 Cloves Garlic minced
- 3 (48 Ounce) Boxes Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 3 Each Bay Leaves
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 8 Each Chicken Thighs deboned and skinned, cut into 2" pieces
- 2 Cups Rotisserie Chicken shredded
- 2 Each Green Onions chopped
Instructions
- Add the oil to a heavy bottomed stock pot (12 Quart is a good size). Add medium heat.1 Cup Vegetable Oil
- Add the flour and stir to combine. Keep the heat on low-medium and continue stirring.1-¾ Cups All Purpose Flour
- You'll notice the 'roux' will start to change color. You need it to be about the color of dark chocolate.
- Add the smoked sausage and andouille sausage. Stir into the roux and slightly caramelize the sausage.2 Pounds Smoked Sausage, ⅔ Pound Andouille Sausage
- Add the trinity of onions, bell pepper and celery. Cook over medium heat until translucent.2 Each Yellow Onions, 2 Ribs Celery, 2 Each Green Bell Peppers
- Add the minced garlic and cook a further 2 minutes.5 Cloves Garlic
- Add the chicken broth, stirring, and turn the heat to medium-high.3 (48 Ounce) Boxes Chicken Broth
- Add the seasonings, thyme and bay leaves.2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning, 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder, 2 teaspoons Onion Powder, 3 Each Bay Leaves, 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- Add the chicken thigh meat and stir to combine. Once you have a boil turn down the heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 3 hours.8 Each Chicken Thighs
- Remove the lid and add the deboned rotisserie chicken. Stir into the gumbo and replace the lid. Allow to simmer again for 20 minutes.2 Cups Rotisserie Chicken
- Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks (if you can find them). Garnish with the chopped green onions.2 Each Green Onions
- Serve with white rice and potato salad.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kimberly Washington says
Hi! Your roux recipe calls for equal parts fat and flour. However, this gumbo recipe calls for 1 cup of oil and 1 3/4 cups of flour. Is there an advantage to using more flour? Thanks!
Melanie Cagle says
Hi Kimberly, good catch! Yes, sometimes I like to add a little more flour than oil, mainly to avoid the amount of grease that sometimes forms on the top.
babedahl says
I am not originally from Louisiana, however I have lived here for 40 + years. I have learned how to make most of the Cajun dishes that I have grown to love, but somehow I just could never get the gumbo to come out like those I've eaten and wanted to duplicate. I made this yesterday and it is amazing. I did cook my chicken first (because I didn't read thoroughly) and I used chicken thighs and chicken tenderloins, then I added enough oil to make the 1 cup required and made the rue. I followed the rest of the recipe to the "t" and this is the best gumbo I have ever made. Thank you from one transplant (me from Kentucky) to another (you from England) for this wonderful recipe.
Melanie Cagle says
Thank you so much, for the very kind comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it!! Chicken and Sausage gumbo is truly one of the best Cajun recipes.
Rabeka says
I'm from southwest Louisana but I live in northern California now. My dad and brother are much better cooks than my mother but I never, ever remember them making a roux to start. My mother recently visited and showed me how to make roux.. as soon as I cooked it, it smelled like home.
I love the pictures with the description. It really helped because I tend to not measure things. Thank you for posting the recipe.
Melanie Cagle says
Awww, I'm so glad you appreciated it. Thank you for coming back and commenting Rabeka!