A big bowl of Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is is the kind of hearty food that’s filling and satisfying. Top it with a scoop of white rice and a side of cornbread for a taste of South comfort food.

Easy Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe

The foundation of any gumbo is a dark and carefully crafted roux. Because of this, it’s important to begin with a large Dutch oven or a similar size heavy bottomed pot, to make gumbo. You’ll also need measuring cups and spoons, a large whisk, a sharp knife and chopping board and a skillet to cook the okra, plus spoons for stirring and serving. Gumbo serves nicely in a shallow pasta bowl or similar bowl to allow room for a scoop of rice. How to make Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

Roux – Add oil to a 6 quart Dutch oven or similar heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour while whisking constantly. Cook stirring slowly and constantly for 30-45 minutes OR until the color is dark brown and similar to the color of chocolate. (Time can vary depending on the consistency of the heat setting. Go by color.)
Vegetables – Once desired color is reached, to the roux add diced onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Stir to coat in roux, cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until vegetables have softened.
Seasonings – To the pot add Cajun seasoning, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Continue to stir cooking for 3 to 4 minutes.
Liquid – Add 6 cups chicken stock. Stir until the roux mixture and stock are well combined. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered for 1 hour.
Okra – Meanwhile, in a medium size skillet, brown okra in 1 Tbsp butter. Cook over medium high just until okra dries out a bit. Set aside.
Combine – To the pot add okra, sausage and chicken. Continue to simmer over medium-low gently bubbling with lid slightly offset for an additional 45-60 minutes.
Remove from the heat and discard bay leaves. Stir in 1/2 green onions, parsley and file powder. Mix well.
Serve in shallow bowls with cooked white rice garnished with reserved green onions and hot sauce.

How to Make the Best Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: Rotisserie chicken, andouille sausage, okra, all purpose flour, vegetable oil, onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, salt, cayenne, low sodium chicken stock, butter, green onions, fresh Italian parsley, file powder, cooked rice and hot sauce for serving.
What is a roux? The key to any gumbo is the roux. It’s a mixture of equal parts flour and oil that’s cooked until it’s a rich dark color similar to chocolate. Making a roux is a labor of love as it needs to be stirred constantly because it can burn easily. For that reason, make gumbo on a day when you can dedicate time to the process.
What’s the difference between Cajun gumbo and Creole gumbo? Cajun gumbo typically doesn’t include tomatoes as an ingredient. Creole gumbo does. Both feature the holy trinity of New Orleans cooking, onion, bell peppers and celery in copious amounts.
Can I add seafood to this gumbo recipe? Seafood based gumbo recipes generally include shrimp, crab meat, crawfish and sometimes oysters. If you’d like to add shrimp to to this recipe you can! Add 1 cup cooked shrimp at the end of cooking with the chicken or in place of the okra, if you’re not a fan.

Homemade Southern Style Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe

Is gumbo like a soup? While both are usually eaten in a bowl, gumbo is more like a stew.
The secret to authentic gumbo is in the roux. It’s not a typo, it really does call for that amount of flour and oil. It takes time to reach the proper color and can burn. I usually prep the vegetables while it’s cooking, just please note it can burn easily and if it does, you have to start over. A burnt roux will ruin the whole pot.
What seasonings does gumbo use? If you’re looking for convenient and easy to find, you can use either Tony Chachere’s or Zatarains Cajun or Creole seasoning in this recipe. You may of course, use any Cajun seasoning blend that you enjoy. Please note the amount of sodium and cayenne can vary from brand to brand so adjust amounts accordingly.
What is file powder? File is usually found near the Cajun seasonings in most grocery stores. It’s made from ground sassafras leaves and has a similar texture to cumin with a slight green color.
Keep in mind that the broth for gumbo should be thinner than a stew but thicker than a soup. People take that very seriously down here. It’s supposed to have a full bodied broth. That said, I recommend having extra stock handy, in case you want to thin it further at the end of cooking.
Do I have to add okra to gumbo? Okra is usually found in traditional gumbo recipes. Frozen cut okra is usually easy to find at Walmart. I hope that’s the case where you live, too.
Serve gumbo with cooked rice, green onions and hot sauce on the side. I highly recommend making cornbread or cornbread muffins for a delicious side dish.
You can chill and store gumbo in the fridge for around 3-4 days. It also will freeze beautifully for up to 2 months.

More Cajun and Creole Recipes to Make

Cajun and Creole foods may both hail from Louisiana but each has their own little characteristics and idiosyncrasies. A few other Cajun and Creole inspired recipes you may like to try:

The family will love this Cajun Orzo with Andouille Sausage.
This recipe for Cajun Dirty Rice is packed with flavor.
This Easy Shrimp Creole comes together in no time flat.
Shrimp Po’Boy Recipe is a must make.
Cajun 15 Bean Soup will warm you up from the inside out.
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice from Food52.

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