Today I am sharing a simple recipe for a savory and spicy Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. This recipe originated with my Great Grandmother at her home in Hineston, Louisiana. Even though we didn’t live in Louisiana during most of my childhood, my Dad still made this Gumbo every Fall and Winter. It is my favorite comfort food to enjoy on any brisk evening! Now that I live in Louisiana with my own family, I find every excuse to make this Gumbo for my own children to develop their own fond memories of.

The key defining feature of this Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is the thick and savory broth with a perfectly toasted roux. While every true Louisiana family has their own Gumbo recipe – this one resembles a Gumbo most often found in the Acadiana region of Louisiana.

This post may contain affiliate links. See my full disclosure here.

Cajun food is one of the most unique and loved things about the state of Louisiana. There are so many spicy and savory dishes that have become well known tourist attractions, despite being simple and every day household staples. Examples are Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, Creole, Crawfish, and Gumbo.

But – any true Louisiana native will tell you that Gumbo is the defining dish of the state. There’s a running joke among Louisianans that once the first cool wind of the fall blows through the State, you’ll smell some Gumbo Roux cooking on the breeze.

A Gumbo Can be Unique to Each Family

One of the best things about Gumbo is the uniqueness and passion there is behind each family recipe. Much like chili recipes in the northern states – each gumbo recipe will have its own variation or staple ingredients. Our family has always preferred to keep the ingredients simple and allow the proteins to take the show. This particular recipe is for a Chicken & Sausage Gumbo – but it can easily be modified to include fish, shrimp, or crawfish.

Another component that frequently varies from one family Gumbo to the next is the composition of the Roux and the ratio of Roux to broth.

What is A Roux?

A Roux is a a cooking mixture used to thicken & flavor sauces, soups or stews. It is composed of roughly equal parts flour and fat. The flour and fat are mixed together and heated in a pan. The fat allows you to cook (or toast) the flour to add color, texture, and flavor to the sauce, soup, or stew.

I always prefer to use butter in my roux, however most oils or fats are acceptable. The key point when it comes to creating a Roux is to make sure you properly toast the Roux without burning it. If you scorch the Roux, there will be a burned flavor in the entire dish.

My Dad always says that if you burn your Roux it’s better to throw it out and make a new one than to have a bad Gumbo.

The goal is to achieve a toasted Roux that is dark enough to flavor the broth and has enough of a consistency to thicken the broth to a stew consistency. I prefer to cook my Roux slowly over medium-low heat so that I can achieve the desirable brown color without any burning.

What makes our Family Gumbo Unique?

Short answer – our Family Gumbo is unique because it is ours! On a more descriptive note – we have always preferred to keep our Gumbo simple and focus on a limited number of seasonings. Some Gumbos (particularly in the New Orleans areas) will use celery, okra, or tomato’s in their recipes. Personally – we feel like those additional flavors take away from the perfect pairing of the Roux in broth.

Our family Gumbo uses chicken broth, onion, bell pepper garlic, chicken, andouille, a thick butter roux, cayenne, red pepper flakes, black pepper, rubbed sage, Cajun seasoning, bullion cubes, and smoked paprika.

A tip my Dad taught me at a when I began making the family Gumbo, is to add a pinch of rubbed sage to the to tie the flavor of the sausage to the rest of the dish. Most sausage (and in particular Andouille – which is what I recommend) uses sage. Adding a little additional sage helps pulls out all the flavors of the sausage.

How to Make a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

First, you make the Roux.

To make a Roux you will need:

• 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 8-10 inch
• Whisk or silicone spatula

Use your sauce pan melt the butter over medium-low heat (3-5). While butter is melting stir gently with a silicone spatula or metal whisk. When butter is fully melted add the flour in 1/4 cup increments, stirring continuously.

When flour and butter are fully incorporated into a roux increase heat to medium (5) and stir occasionally. After 5-10 minutes the roux will darken to a golden brown. Decrease heat to low (2-3) and stir continuously.

After 2-5 minutes roux should appear light to medium brown. Turn the burner off. The saucepan will be hot and the Roux will continue to cook until you completely transfer it out of the pan. Add roux to the pot of broth using your whisk or spatula to gently pour the roux from the saucepan to the stockpot.

Notes:

1. The roux may appear lumpy and hard to stir when first adding the flour. Use your whisk or silicone spatula to break the flour clumps up and incorporate the flour into the butter.
2. Pay attention to the smell of the Roux.  If the roux is too hot it will start to develop a scorched or smoky smell. We are trying to avoid burning the roux and want a soft toasted flavor.
3. The roux is very hot and WILL splatter when it meets the broth. When you are adding the roux to the broth I recommend you do so in 3-4 batches to limit the amount that splatters. After all the roux has been transferred to the stockpot, you can scoop some broth from the stockpot and add to the saucepan to pick up any remaining amounts of roux then return the mixture back to the stockpot.

Prepare your broth

For your broth you will need:

• 1 whole finely diced sweet onion
• 1/2 whole finely diced bell pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for sauté)
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (preferably Zatarain’s)
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch rubbed sage
• 2 chicken bullion cubes

First I recommend you sauté the onion and bell pepper in the stock pot with a small amount of butter. Doing so pulls out the sweetness in the vegetables and allows them to more effectively flavor the broth. Next, add the broth and seasoning and bring to a gentle simmer. I recommend preparing your roux while the broth is simmering.

Add Proteins

After you have prepared your broth and Roux, add 1.5 lb cut chicken breast, 1.5 lb cut chicken thighs, and 1 lb cut andouille sausage.

Notes:

1. You can use any type of sausage in this Gumbo.  The type my family prefers is Andouille or Cajun/hickory smoked sausage. If you use sausage with any type of additional spices it will make the broth more spicy and you may want to decrease the amount of cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning you add.
2. I typically prefer to use a whole chicken and use all the meat excluding wings and legs. This comes out to roughly 1.5 lbs of chicken breast and 1.5 lbs of chicken thighs. However, it took me many years to learn how to properly (and efficiently) cut a whole chicken! If you prefer you can use a pre-packaged chicken breasts and thighs. I also recommend including 1-2 thigh bones in the broth. This helps the broth develop a proper consistency with lots of additional nutrients.

See Recipe Card Below

Authentic Cajun Gumbo (Chicken and Sausage Acadiana Style)

Today I am sharing a simple recipe for a savory and spicy Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. This recipe has been around in our Louisiana family for five generations! This gumbo is my favorite representation of the popular Louisiana dish. It's key features come from the thick (stew-like) broth with a perfectly toasted roux. While every true Louisiana family has their own Gumbo recipe – this one resembles a gumbo most often found in the Acadiana region of Louisiana.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Cajun

Servings 8 bowls

Equipment

• 1 8 quart stock pot
• 1 10 inch sauce pan

Ingredients

  

Roux

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter

Protein

• 1.5 lb chicken breast deboned
• 1.5 lb chicken thighs bone-in or deboned
• 1 lb Andouille sausage

Broth

• 2 quarts Chicken stock or bone broth

Seasonings

• 1/2 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (preferably Zatarain's)
• 3 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 whole medium sweet onion diced, sauté optional
• 1/2 whole medium green bell pepper finely diced, sauté optional
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch rubbed sage
• 2 chicken bullion cubes
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter for optional sauté

Instructions

 

Prepare Vegetables (5-10 Minutes)

• After you have gathered all ingredients begin by finely dicing your whole sweet onion and half green bell pepper
  1 whole medium sweet onion, 1/2 whole medium green bell pepper
  

Sauté Vegetables (5-10 minutes) – Optional

• Add the vegetables to the stockpot with 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Heat on the stove on medium heat (5) and mix occasionally with a wooden spatula. Depending on the level of heat you use, this step will take between 5-10 minutes. Sauté vegetables at the same time as you prepare the roux to cut down on prep time.
  1 tbsp unsalted butter

Prepare the Broth (5 minutes prep, 20 minutes simmer)

• After you have sautéed your vegetables (or if you prefer not to) and they have been added to the stockpot, continue by preparing the broth. Add the chicken stock (or bone broth) to the stockpot.
  2 quarts Chicken stock
• Add the minced garlic, black pepper, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, rubbed sage, and bullion cubes to the stockpot. Gently stir seasonings, vegetables, and stock. Cover and allow to simmer on low heat (2-3) for 20 minutes.
  1/2 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 3 tbsp garlic, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 pinch rubbed sage, 2 chicken bullion cubes

Cook the Roux (15-20 minutes)

• Use your sauce pan melt the butter over medium-low heat (3-5). While butter is melting stir gently with a silicone spatula or metal whisk. When butter is fully melted add the flour in 1/4 cup increments, stirring continuously.
  1 cup unbleached all purpose flour, 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
• When flour and butter are fully incorporated into a roux increase heat to medium (5) and stir occasionally. After 5-10 minutes the roux will darken to a golden brown. Decrease heat to low (2-3) and stir continuously.
  
• After 2-5 minutes roux should appear light to medium brown. Turn the burner off and add roux to the pot of broth using your whisk or spatula to gently pour the roux from the saucepan to the stockpot.

Prepare Meat (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes simmer)

• Cut sausage into thin 1/4 inch slices. Set to the side.
  1 lb Andouille sausage
• Cut chicken into bite sized chunks (roughly 3/4 inch squares).
  1.5 lb chicken breast, 1.5 lb chicken thighs
• Add both the cut sausage and cut chicken to the Gumbo. Bring the Gumbo to a gentle boil, then allow to simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Add Additional Seasonings and Serve

• Taste the Gumbo and decide if additional salt or spices are needed according to your taste.
  salt
• Serve hot in a bowl with 1/2 cup steamed rice and sliced French bread.
  

Notes

1. You may opt to use a vegetable chopper or food processor to dice onions and bell peppers depending on your texture preference.
2. For a more balanced and flavorful broth I recommend you sauté the diced onion and bell pepper – however this step is optional.
3. I will often set aside 1 cup of broth to use after the Gumbo is prepared. We eat together as a family and my toddler will often complain about spicy food. I will mix the unseasoned broth with the prepared Gumbo to for a less spicy option.
4. The roux may appear lumpy and hard to stir when first adding the flour. Use your whisk or silicone spatula to break the flour clumps up and incorporate the flour into the butter.
5. Pay attention to the smell of the Roux.  If the roux is too hot it will start to develop a scorched or smoky smell. We are trying to avoid burning the roux and want a soft toasted flavor.
6. The roux is very hot and WILL splatter when it meets the broth. When you are adding the roux to the broth I recommend you do so in 3-4 batches to limit the amount that splatters. After all the roux has been transferred to the stockpot, you can scoop some broth from the stockpot and add to the saucepan to pick up any remaining amounts of roux then return the mixture back to the stockpot.
7. You can use any type of sausage in this Gumbo.  The type my family prefers is Andouille or Cajun/hickory smoked sausage. If you use sausage with any type of additional spices it will make the broth more spicy and you may want to decrease the amount of cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning you add.
8. I typically prefer to use a whole chicken and use all the meat excluding wings and legs. This comes out to roughly 1.5 lbs of chicken breast and 1.5 lbs of chicken thighs. However, it took me many years to learn how to properly (and efficiently) cut a whole chicken! If you prefer you can use a pre-packaged chicken breasts and thighs. I also recommend including 1-2 thigh bones in the broth. This helps the broth develop a proper consistency with lots of additional nutrients.

Keyword Acadiana, Cajun, Family Recipe, Gumbo, Louisiana, Quick, Simple, Soup, Stew