Cajun/Creole · main

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo reads umami 5.5, allium 4.6 and richness 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Cajun/Creole main, about 1 hr 50 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.5 · Allium 4.6 · Richness 4.6 · Salinity 4.4 · Smoke 3.7 · Warm Spice 2.6 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Sweetness 2.2 · Heat 2.0 · Earthy 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 0.8 · Sourness 0.7

What's in it (14)

Time & effort: about 1 hr 50 min (1 hr 49 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 164.2 kcal, 9.3 g protein, 7.6 g fat, 14.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season lightly with salt. Heat a heavy 6- to 8-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the andouille sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and some fat has rendered, 5-6 minutes; transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
  2. Add the chicken to the same pot and sear, turning once, until golden on both sides but not cooked through, 5-6 minutes total; transfer to the plate with the sausage.
  3. Measure the fat left in the pot and add vegetable oil as needed to total 1/2 cup. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is a deep mahogany brown, the color of melted dark chocolate, 30-40 minutes; lower the heat if it darkens too quickly, and don't stop whisking or it will scorch and turn bitter.
  4. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery directly to the hot roux; cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 6-7 minutes, the residual heat of the roux deepening its color as you stir.
  5. Stir in the garlic and Cajun seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Whisk in the chicken broth in three or four additions, working out any lumps before adding more, then add the bay leaves and bring to a boil.
  7. Return the sausage and chicken, with any accumulated juices, to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, skimming excess fat from the surface occasionally, until the chicken is fork-tender, registers 165 F, and the gumbo has thickened to a loose, silky consistency, 45-50 minutes.
  8. Stir in the kosher salt, discard the bay leaves, and taste for seasoning, adding more salt or Cajun seasoning as needed. Stir in half of the sliced green onions.
  9. Ladle the gumbo over bowls of cooked white rice and finish with the remaining green onions.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.