Recipe | Chicken
Chicken Gumbo

Gumbo is a Cajun hot-pot. The derivation for the name "Gumbo" is gombo, n'gombo, and/or kin, all west African names for okra. Not all Gumbos include okra, but when used it thickens the sauce and adds a slightly gelatinous texture. Gumbo always includes Cajun vegetables (onion, capsicum, celery), Roux and hot pepper sauce. I don't normally have a Cajun Spice Mix handy, so this recipe includes the ingredients necessary for that as well.

1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • Heat in a large heavy casserole dish

1.2-1.5 kg Chicken pieces (or rabbit or duck or mixed green vegetables or a mix of okra and tomatoes)

  • Brown off the meat
  • Remove from the pan and reserve

2/3 cups flour

  • Make the Roux in the residual in the pan (aim for "Brown Roux")

6 cups chicken stock

  • Gradually blend into the roux
  • Add the browned meat

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Vegetables:

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 red or green capsicum, seeded and chopped
4 short celery sticks, chopped (about 1 cup)

Herbs and Spices:

2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme, marjoram, and/or sage (or 1-2 tablespoons fresh)
3 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Add everything
  • Stir well ensuring the Roux coats the vegetables.
  • Bring to boil
  • Reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender (~20-30 min)
  • Adjust salt, pepper, and pepper sauce to taste.

Optional Protein / Flavour

  • Add any Optional Protein / Flavour from below and cook as instructed. If you leave this out you have a perfectly acceptable Chicken Gumbo
  • Remove from heat

[Optional] 2 tablespoons Filé powder

Note: Fil powder is the powdered leaves of the sassafras tree; it adds a tart, citrus flavour, and thickens the sauce. Never cook it as it turns into a stringy sticky mess.

  • Stir Filé powder into chicken mix when off the heat
  • Then to serve ...

Cooked rice

  • Mound up on soup bowls
  • Serve the chicken on the rice

3 Spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

  • Garnish

Offer extra Filé Powder and Pepper sauce

Optional Protein Flavour

You insert any of these options into the main recipe above.

For Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

250-750 grams smoked sausage (e.g. andouille, kielbasa, etc) cut into 2.5 cm rounds
2 tablespoons oil

  • Brown the sausages over medium heat (~5-7 min)
  • Drain fat
  • Add to the chicken
  • Cook for 5-10 min

Note: Don't include the optional Filé powder mentioned in the main recipe.

For Chicken and Oyster Filé Gumbo

24 oysters, shucked
  • Add the oysters to the gumbo
  • Cook 3-5 min

Note: You should include the optional Filé powder mentioned in the main recipe.

For Prawn with Okra and Filé Gumbo

The main ingredient in the main recipe should be okra and tomatoes, not chicken.

900 grams medium prawns

  • Add prawns
  • Simmer until the prawns are just cooked (change colour)

Note: You should include the optional Filé powder mentioned in the main recipe.

For Chicken and Egg Gumbo

Don't include the Optional Protein step, instead add wedges of hardboiled eggs at the end.