Servings: 4 people

Prep time: 30 mins

ONE LIST

Five simple dinners. One grocery list.

No recipe hunting, no messy shopping notes, no complicated chef projects. Just family dinners that fit real weeks.

Get This Week's Plan

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Cooking time: about 1 hour and 15 mins

Total time: about 1 hour 45 mins

Difficulty: Easy

The Princess and the Frog was my favorite Disney movie growing up, and the scene of Tiana cooking gumbo with her parents is what made me fall in love with Cajun cuisine. I’ve made gumbo nearly every month since I was old enough to stand at the stove. This version keeps the spirit of the classic recipes, but uses ingredients you can find anywhere in the world.

Ingredients

• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• Additional black pepper and salt for seasoning
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 liters chicken broth
• 4 cloves of garlic (small, diced)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup neutral oil

Proteins

• 300g Andouille/Chorizo sausage
• 300g smoked bratwurst/Smoked turkey sausages
• 2 chicken thighs (boneless, cut into small chunks)
• 200g of deveined shrimps
• For the Holy Trinity
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 1 large bell pepper, medium-diced
• 3 celery stalks medium diced

Steps:

1) Cut up the Andouille/Chorizo sausage and Smoked bratwurst/smoked turkey sausage into 1 to 1.5 cm slices. Combine into one bowl and set aside.

2) Pat dry the chicken thighs and cut into small-sized chunks. Place into a separate bowl. Season with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper, mix thoroughly, and set aside.

3) In a large stockpot, turn up the heat to medium-high and drizzle some oil. When the oil is hot, throw in the cut-up sausages and let cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Take the sausages out and set aside.

4) In the same stockpot, add in the chicken chunks and fry on each side for about 4 minutes. Then take off the heat and place into a separate bowl.

5) Afterward, add the deveined shrimps and fry on each side for about a minute. Take the shrimps off the heat and place aside. Add 1 cup of neutral oil and let it heat up a bit before adding in the cup of flour.

Whisk constantly until the color develops in the roux. Do not stop whisking since you don’t want the roux to burn.

6) Cook the roux until it reaches your preferred color, then lower the heat. A lighter roux tastes a bit sweeter and lets the proteins shine, and a darker roux is more complex and slightly bitter. But it is completely up to you!

7) Toss in all the chopped holy trinity, which are: celery, bell pepper, and onions. Give everything a good stir, making sure to wait until the vegetables turn translucent. This will take about 4 to 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

8) Add in two liters of the chicken broth slowly with a ladle and stir to slowly mix in with the roux and vegetables. Let the broth cook down for about 40 minutes on medium to low heat.

9) Add in all the listed seasonings: 2 tsp of paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and 1 tsp of thyme. Toss in the proteins: shrimp, chicken as well as sausages and let cook with the lid on for another 3 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper for seasoning to taste.

10) Serve with a warm bowl of rice and enjoy.

It’s optional but I like to add some sliced scallions on top.

Practical Tips: As a time estimate, a golden roux takes about 10 minutes to develop colour and a dark brown roux takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Chelsea Aye

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

A homemade roux-based gumbo with andouille sausage, smoked sausage, chicken thighs and shrimp, simmered with the holy trinity and served over rice.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• salt to taste
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• black pepper and salt for seasoning
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 litres chicken broth
• 4 cloves garlic small diced
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup neutral oil for the roux
• oil drizzle, for frying proteins
• 300 g Andouille/Chorizo sausage
• 300 g smoked bratwurst/smoked turkey sausage
• 2 chicken thighs boneless, cut into small chunks
• 200 g deveined shrimp
• 2 onions medium sized
• 1 bell pepper large, medium diced
• 3 stalks celery medium diced
• rice to serve, warm
• scallions optional, sliced, for garnish

Method

 

1. Cut the Andouille/Chorizo sausage and smoked bratwurst/smoked turkey sausage into 1 to 1.5 cm slices. Combine in one bowl and set aside.
2. Pat dry the chicken thighs, cut into small chunks, place in a separate bowl, season with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper, mix thoroughly, and set aside.
3. Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat, drizzle in oil, and when hot, add the sliced sausages. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside.
4. In the same pot, add the chicken chunks and fry about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and place in a separate bowl.
5. Add the deveined shrimp and fry about a minute on each side. Remove and set aside.
6. Add 1 cup neutral oil to the pot, let it heat up a bit, then add the cup of flour. Whisk constantly as the roux develops color; do not stop whisking so it doesn’t burn.
7. Cook the roux until it reaches your preferred color, then lower the heat. A lighter roux tastes sweeter and lets the proteins shine; a darker roux is more complex and slightly bitter — it’s up to you.
8. Add the chopped holy trinity (celery, bell pepper, onions) and stir well. Cook until vegetables turn translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
9. Slowly add the 2 litres of chicken broth with a ladle, stirring to mix with the roux and vegetables. Let it cook down for about 40 minutes on medium-low heat.
10. Add all the seasonings: 2 tsp paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and 1 tsp thyme. Add the shrimp, chicken, and sausages, and cook with the lid on for another 3 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve with a warm bowl of rice; optionally top with sliced scallions.

Notes

A golden roux takes about 10 minutes to develop color; a dark brown roux takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Total time: about 1 hour 45 mins.