New Orleans Style Chicken Gumbo (Printable)
A savory Louisiana dish featuring tender chicken, smoky sausage, and okra gently simmered in a spiced roux.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 1.1 lbs halal boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
02 - 9 oz halal smoked chicken or beef andouille-style sausage, sliced
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 7 oz fresh or frozen okra, sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
09 - 2 spring onions, sliced for garnish
10 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
→ Roux
11 - 5 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
→ Liquids
13 - 5 cups chicken stock, halal-certified
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, halal-certified
→ Seasonings & Spices
16 - 1½ tsp smoked paprika
17 - 1 tsp dried thyme
18 - 1 tsp dried oregano
19 - ½ tsp cayenne pepper
20 - ½ tsp black pepper
21 - 1 tsp salt
22 - ¼ tsp white pepper
23 - 1 tsp hot sauce, optional, halal-certified
→ To Serve
24 - 2 cups cooked white rice
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour, stirring constantly for 15–20 minutes until roux achieves deep chocolate brown color. Monitor closely to prevent burning.
02 - Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to roux. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken chunks and sliced sausage to pot. Stir thoroughly to coat with vegetable mixture and roux. Cook for 4–5 minutes until proteins develop light golden color.
04 - Add tomatoes, okra, bay leaves, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, white pepper, and salt. Mix well to distribute seasonings evenly throughout mixture.
05 - Pour in chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce, scraping bottom of pot to deglaze. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and gumbo thickens.
06 - Taste gumbo and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or hot sauce as desired. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.
07 - Ladle hot gumbo over steamed white rice. Garnish generously with sliced spring onions and fresh chopped parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Once you master the roux, you will feel like you can cook anything Louisiana has to offer
- The house smells incredible while it simmers, like jazz music in food form
- It makes enough to feed a crowd or provide leftovers that taste even better the next day
02 -
- A burned roux will ruin the entire pot, so stay attentive and patient during those first 20 minutes
- The roux continues cooking and darkening even after you add vegetables, so pull it off heat slightly earlier than you think
- Okra naturally thickens the gumbo, but the flour roux provides most of the body
03 -
- If you cannot find fresh okra, frozen works perfectly fine and actually needs less cooking time
- Some cooks swear by making the roux in the oven instead of on the stovetop to prevent burning