Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Well, I'm a day behind.  I brought you into my kitchen yesterday morning for some amazing huevos rancheros with the promise for more later in the day. Admittedly, I did cook later on that day, but three incredible hours over a hot pot of gumbo were enough to make this man too tired to blog. You are, however, in luck. I chronicled this delicious journey so you can try it for yourself if you dare. Beware friends, this is not a quick meal, but if done correctly every second will be worth it.  Let me begin by telling you that this is not my recipe.  I have, however, tweaked it a bit for my liking and changed the name to what I find to be more appropriate.  Here is the complete link to the recipe, but don't worry. I'll be sure to tell you what I have done differently.

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo recipe

chicken browning in the pot

The holy trinity of cajun cuisine: celery, onion, and bell pepper

 Almost all cajun cuisine starts with the holy trinity of vegetables. They use onion, celery, and bell pepper in so many dishes.  Always remember, consistency in the size of your chopped vegetables will guarantee that they cook in the same amount of time so no pieces are over or undercooked.  Take the time to chop carefully, the beauty is in the details.


I know, I know, the recipe calls this an etouffee but I just don't agree. There isn't much difference between a gumbo and an etouffee but consistency is the biggest determining factor between the two. Etouffees tend to be thicker and are generally served over rice. Call it whatever you want as long as you call it delicious. Tonight I decided to leave the shrimp out of the regular recipe because if I ever decide to reheat leftovers quickly in the microwave, seafood almost always turns to rubber.  I have used the shrimp in the past and even substituted it for crawfish tails and it is delicious. Again, do whatever makes you happy.  The other change I made was to add almost twice the amount of sausage and use two different kinds.  I used the traditional andouille but also a very flavorful jalepeno cheddar sausage.  Lastly, once you begin to make the roux, do not forget to stir continuously to prevent scorching.  Your roux can go from magic to ruin in a few short minutes if you aren't paying attention. I prefer my roux as dark as melted semi-sweet chocolate.

Beautiful dark roux

This gumbo has such a deep rich flavor that cannot be matched by any instant roux from a box.  It is impossible to mimic the slow developed flavors of freshly browned chicken and sausage.  All those wonderful drippings come together to create the base for you gumbo.  I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. With fall knocking on your door and winter right around the corner, this hearty dish will comfort you and your family for days.  Just remember, taste is relative!

The finished product. Isn't it beautiful