Chicken And Sausage Gumbo

Experiencing the deep, rich taste of my chicken and sausage gumbo is a south Louisiana special foodie event, y'all! Made with my very own Trinity Roux™, each bite of this deliciously authentic Paleo, grain free, and gluten free gumbo overflows with melt-in-your-mouth chicken, sausage, and okra in a piping hot, velvety broth. Yep and yay... 

Jump to:

• It's the Classic Cajun Comfort Food, Y'all...
• Chicken & Sausage Gumbo Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
• How to Make Chicken and Sausage Gumbo 
• Storage
• Top Recipe Tips
• What to Serve with Gumbo
• Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

It's the Classic Cajun Comfort Food, Y'all...

Chicken and sausage gumbo is one of the most famous traditional Cajun dishes. This gumbo style was originally prepared by boiling a whole chicken or cut-up whole chicken in a big pot of water until the meat fell off the bone into its own broth. 

Then, the cook would strain the broth, and use it in her version of gumbo that usually included a traditional oil and flour roux. 

I use a more modern way of making roux for my original version of chicken gumbo with sausage. I also use store-bought broth and frozen okra, both for convenience and consistency. 

However, I'm a native Louisianian with a bonafide Cajun mom, y'all. So, although I use contemporary ingredients and methods, my sausage and chicken gumbo with okra is as legit as you can get. For sure!!

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions

Marinating the chicken before using it in the gumbo ensures that every bite is moist and tender. It also makes the leftover gumbo taste as good as fresh-out-of-the-pot. 

So, take the time to marinate the chicken while you prep the other ingredients. It's easy and very, very worth it. 

Once the chicken is marinated, drain it and set it aside while you gather the remaining ingredients. 

• I prefer chicken breasts to other cuts in this gumbo recipe. The chopped breast pieces inject each bite with a full-bodied texture that pairs beautifully with the browned sausage bits. However, you can also use boneless thighs or tenders and still make a good gumbo.
• I highly recommend chicken and sausage gumbo with okra, y'all. It just works. So, even if you're not a usual fan of okra, you owe it to yourself to try it in gumbo at least once. It's not at all overpowering. And, its presence adds an authenticity to the dish that you can literally feel. Use frozen okra for the best taste and texture. But, you can substitute fresh okra if that's what you have on hand. 
• My Trinity Roux™ creates the authentic Cajun flavor base that's necessary to make a proper chicken and sausage gumbo. It's so easy that you don't need any prior roux-making experience. And, it's so incredibly flavorful that no one will ever suspect that the gumbo is grain and gluten free. Indeed. 
• I use beef, but you can use andouille sausage in this recipe. Chicken or turkey sausage should also work well, too. 
• I used boxed chicken broth instead of homemade. I do this because I feel that the payoff for using homemade broth is not as big as I would want it to be to add the extra time and effort to the recipe. So, I use boxed broth with great success because my roux is so over-the-top flavorful. 

How to Make Chicken and Sausage Gumbo 

To start the recipe, marinate the chicken breast pieces.

Now, brown the sausage in the pot, using a bit of fat to coat the pot if you are using a lean sausage like I did. 

When the sausage starts to sizzle, add the drained marinated chicken to the pot.

Continue cooking until the outside of each chicken piece is no longer raw.

Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate, but leave the pan drippings in the pot.

Add the rest of the butter and the chopped onion, green bell pepper, and onion to the pan drippings, and continue cooking to form the base of the roux.

When the Trinity Roux™ is ready, it should look like this.

Turn down the heat. Then, add the frozen okra, chicken, and sausage to the pot.

Finally, pour the broth into the pot, and continue cooking until done.

And that's it, y'all!!

The first thing that you notice about this chicken and sausage gumbo is its beautiful color. Then, as you take your first bite you're delighted by the graduated flavors and textures that slowly but surely give you all of the signature south Louisiana gumbo food feelings that you've anticipated.

The chicken is so tender and flavorful that even those who usually prefer dark meat will rave over the breast pieces. And the browned sausage hits the spot with just a tiny bit of charred flavor that makes each bite just a little extra special.

And the broth, y'all, the broth!! It's so rich and flavorful that you'll likely tip the bowl over at the finish to get that very last drop of knock-your-socks-off flavor.

Yep, this chicken and sausage gumbo with okra really is that good, y'all. And it just gets better in the fridge. So, you can meal prep it for days-long deliciousness that you can enjoy with rice for a more traditional take or cauliflower rice for a bite on the lighter side.

Share with those you want to indulge in a body and soul-warming experience straight out of New Orleans. Much Cajun food love, and see y'all on the yum side...

Storage

Store the leftover chicken and sausage gumbo covered in the fridge for up to three days. I only recommend freezing this recipe if you have a vacuum sealer. Otherwise, the texture may be off when thawed.

Top Recipe Tips

Chop the veggies and slice the sausage the night before you make this gumbo recipe. You can also chop the chicken, too. Getting these prep steps out of the way can help you make this gumbo much faster the next day.

Make sure that you take the time to make the Trinity Roux™ properly. This is where the bulk of the flavor of the gumbo comes from, so don't skip this all-important step or you will not achieve an authentic gumbo consistency.

What to Serve with Gumbo

Chicken and sausage gumbo with okra is traditionally served with rice and potato salad. You can also enjoy it with cauliflower rice or creamy Cajun cauliflower salad for a lighter yet still authentic south Louisiana meal. 

NOTE: This post was originally published on April 14, 2017, and updated and republished on July 23, 2024.