About this Dish
Louisiana's great communal stew — a thick, dark soup of chicken, andouille sausage or seafood in a roux-based broth thickened with okra or filé powder, served over rice. The roux — flour and fat cooked together until almost black — takes 45 minutes of constant stirring and is the foundation of all Cajun and Creole cooking. New Orleans gumbo is one of America's greatest culinary achievements.
IngredientsServes 6
🍗Chicken thighs, 700g bone-in, skin-on
🌭Andouille sausage, 300g sliced into rounds
🧈Vegetable oil, 120ml
🌾Plain flour, 120g
🧅Yellow onion, 1 large diced; celery, 3 stalks diced; green bell pepper, 1 diced
🧄Garlic cloves, 5 minced
🫙Chicken stock, 1.5 litres
🌿Okra, 250g sliced into rounds
🌶️Cajun seasoning, 2 tbsp; bay leaves, 2; dried thyme, 1 tsp
🍚Long-grain white rice, 400g cooked, to serve
Method
1
Make the roux: heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and stir constantly for 40–50 minutes until the roux turns the colour of dark chocolate. Do not walk away — this is the soul of your gumbo, and it will burn if you stop stirring.2
Push the roux to the edges of the pot and add the onion, celery, and green pepper (the Cajun 'holy trinity'). Cook for 8 minutes, stirring everything together, then add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.3
Pour in the chicken stock one ladle at a time, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and thyme, then drop in the whole chicken thighs and bring to a gentle simmer.4
Cook uncovered for 35 minutes until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone. Lift the thighs out, shred the meat discarding the skin and bones, and return the meat to the pot.5
Add the sliced andouille sausage and okra to the pot and simmer for a further 15 minutes — the okra will release its juices and help thicken the gumbo to a rich, velvety consistency. Taste and adjust salt and seasoning.6
Remove the bay leaves and ladle the gumbo over a mound of cooked white rice in deep bowls. Serve with hot sauce on the side and crusty French bread for soaking up every last drop.User Reviews
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