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Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Wholesome Cove
This Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Gumbo builds a rich, dark roux on the stove, then lets the crockpot slow-simmer andouille and chicken thighs for a deep, cozy Cajun dinner served over rice.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 7 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 bowls
Calories 385 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the Roux

For the Gumbo

  • 1 large yellow onion - about 1 1/2 cups or 210 g, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper - about 1 cup or 150 g, diced
  • 2 stalks celery - about 3/4 cup or 100 g, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 lb andouille sausage - 450 g, sliced into 1/4-inch or 6 mm rounds
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs - 680 g
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock - 1.4 L
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced frozen okra - 225 g, optional
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons filé powder - optional, for finishing
  • Louisiana hot sauce - to taste
  • salt and black pepper - to taste
  • 3 green onions - thinly sliced, for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley - for garnish

To Serve

  • cooked long-grain white rice

Instructions
 

  • Set a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once it shimmers, whisk in the flour until smooth with no dry lumps.
  • Stir the roux constantly with a wooden spoon for 15 to 20 minutes as it moves from blond to peanut butter to the color of milk chocolate. If black specks appear, it has burned and you must start over.
  • Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery directly to the finished roux. Stir to coat and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the onion turns translucent and softens.
  • Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. Scrape the entire mixture into the slow cooker.
  • Return the skillet to medium heat without wiping it out. Add the sliced andouille in a single layer and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until the edges brown and render some fat.
  • Transfer the sausage to the slow cooker, scraping in any browned bits from the pan.
  • Lay the chicken thighs on top of the sausage and vegetables. Pour in the chicken stock and add the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and bay leaves.
  • Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and gently stir until the roux dissolves into the liquid with no thick clumps clinging to the bottom.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Resist lifting the lid, since each peek releases heat and adds cooking time.
  • Remove the chicken thighs to a plate and shred them with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
  • Stir in the sliced okra if using. Cover and cook on HIGH for a final 30 to 45 minutes until the okra is tender and the gumbo thickens. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the filé powder if using, adding it off the boil so it thickens smoothly. Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, and Louisiana hot sauce.
  • Ladle the gumbo into bowls over a scoop of warm long-grain white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Cook the roux darker than feels comfortable. A milk-chocolate roux tastes toasty and deep, while a light tan one tastes like raw flour paste.
  • Keep the heat at medium. High heat browns the roux fast but burns it before the flavor develops, so slower and steadier wins here.
  • Use thighs, not breasts. Breast meat turns stringy and dry by hour four while thighs stay silky.
  • Do not skip browning the sausage. Those seared edges and the fond left in the pan add a smoky layer you cannot get any other way.
  • Add okra late. Stirring it in during the last 45 minutes keeps it from turning slimy over a long cook.
  • Stir filé off the heat. Boiling filé powder makes it stringy, so add it once the pot has stopped simmering.
  • Salt at the very end. Andouille and Cajun seasoning are already salty, so waiting to season prevents an over-salted pot.
  • Serve rice on the side or under the gumbo, never cooked in it. Rice cooked in the pot soaks up all the liquid and turns the gumbo into a thick stew.
  • Make the roux ahead: Cook, cool, and store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for several months. Warm slightly before stirring into the pot.
  • Storage: Refrigerate gumbo in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze without rice for up to 3 months; hold filé until reheating. Thaw in fridge overnight before reheating on the stove.
  • Variations: Add shrimp during the last 20 minutes; increase Cajun seasoning or add a diced jalapeño for heat; stir in a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes for Creole style; swap half the andouille for smoked kielbasa.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BowlCalories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 30gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 1080mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g
Keyword cajun gumbo, chicken and sausage gumbo, crockpot gumbo, easy gumbo recipe, slow cooker gumbo
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