One of favorite all times dishes. I adapt it with chicken and smoked beef sausage since I do not eat pork.
Jump to RecipeI have made gumbo many times. It is all about the roux. ROUX is a thickener developed in France some 200 – 300 years ago. Roux is a combination of oil and flour. In the classic New Orleans gumbo, it is cooked for quite a long time – some 45 minutes – to get the dark caramel to chocolate color we all know.

However, I saw a youtube video from BABISH working with a guest chef, Isaac Toups, a well known Cajun chef. He starts his dish with the roux cooked on super high heat. The roux is done in 10 minutes. You have to be very careful not to burn it or you will have to start all over. Once the roux is completed, all the ingredients are added into the roux to be cooked. The final result was phenomenal. I love this cooking methodology.

The resultant gumbo has a deeper flavor than my normal gumbos. Isaac also likes his gumbo more soupy. Next time, I will use this methodology but make it thicker. A couple examples of the traditional gumbos I have made are below:
EASY CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO
Creating the quick dark roux.

Building the gumbo in the roux.

The Best Chicken & Sausage Gumbo plated.


Best Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
This is a truly unique gumbo because it started with the roux and cooked everything in it to become truly the Best Chicken & Sausage Gumbo.
Ingredients
- 6 Whole Boneless Skinless Chicken thighs
- 2 Whole Smoked Beef Sausages diced
- 2 Tbsp Canola Oil divided
- 2 Tbsp Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning divided
- 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 Whole Medium Yellow Onions diced
- 2 Whole Green Peppers diced
- 2 Stalks Celery diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 29 Ounces Stewed Tomatoes
- 12 Ounces Frozen Okra
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Canola Oil
- 6 Tbsp Gluten Free Flour
- 1 Tbsp File Powder
- 6 Cups Chicken Stock
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tsp Ground black pepper
Instructions
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Begin by spicing the chicken with the 1 tbsp of the Cajun seasoning and 1/2 the smoked paprika. Place 1 tbsp of canola oil in the skillet on medium high heat. Cook in 3 batches (add oil as needed). Add the chicken and the sausage and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Finish the other batches.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, heat the Dutch oven on high heat. Add the canola oil and the gluten free flour and begin stirring. Mix in thoroughly. Once fully mixed keep stirring constantly. The color will turn darker and darker. Continue to cook until it obtains a deep rich color.
Add the onions, peppers and celery directly into the roux. Mix it constantly. After 4 – 5 minutes, add in the spices, mix and stir well. Next, add in the garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add the stewed tomatoes and break up in the pot.
Add in all the stock. Mix well and once all the stock has been added, add in the worcestershire and the hot sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes. Mix thoroughly and add in the okra. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add back in all of the meat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. (Taste for flavor – I added more seasoning). Uncover and finish by adding in the file powder. Mix well and the gumbo is ready.
Serve with rice. Enjoy!
Where’s my shoutout? Your daughter works for Louisiana!
Good point! Bring us back some good gumbo.