Recipes

Chicken And Andouille Gumbo

Emeril Lagasse|

Chicken And Andouille Gumbo
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Chicken and andouille is my favorite of the classic gumbo combinations, the chicken tender and filling and the sausage adding a rich spike of heat. Make it a day or two in advance for the best flavor and reheat it slowly so that the chicken meat does not fall apart. It freezes exceptionally well and is a great choice for parties or tailgating. Don’t skip the white rice—gumbo isn’t gumbo if it isn’t served over a mound of rice—or the hot sauce at the table.In Louisiana, everyone has his or her own preference when it comes to gumbo thickness. This one is about middle of the road, which is the way I prefer it—not too brothy and not too thick. It is easy to adjust the thickness by using less broth for a thicker gumbo and/or adding more for a thinner consistency.Excerpted from Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom From My Life in the Kitchen by Emeril Lagasse. Copyright © 2015 Emeril Lagasse dba MSLO Acquisition sub, LLC. Reprinted with permission from Oxmoor House, an imprint of Time Inc. Books. All rights reserved.
Servings
8
Chicken And Andouille Gumbo
Ingredients
  • 1 chicken
  • 8 cup store-bought chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 8 cup water
  • 2 medium onions, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 6 fresh parsley stems
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 recipe rich chicken stock, with reserved chicken meat
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoon ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into third-inch-thick rounds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • cooked white rice, for serving
  • louisiana hot sauce, for serving
  • filé powder, for serving (optional)
Directions
  1. Rinse the chicken well under cool running water and remove the neck, gizzard, heart, and liver from the cavity if present. Place the chicken in a large stockpot or Dutch oven along with any parts (except the liver; it can give the stock a bitter taste), and cover with the stock and water. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour; at that point, the chicken should easily pull away from the bones.
  2. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the stock and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, discarding the vegetables. Pull the chicken meat off the bones, discarding the bones, skin, and any fat. Shred and reserve the meat, and refrigerate until needed. Cool the stock, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer for 6 months.
  3. Make the Rich Chicken Stock and reserve the shredded chicken meat and broth as the recipe instructs. If using it the same day, let the broth cool before starting the gumbo.
  4. With the oil and flour, make a roux the color of milk chocolate following the directions opposite.
  5. Immediately add the onions, celery, garlic, bell pepper, cayenne, and sausage, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. If the broth has cooled by this time, add it to the roux mixture along with the salt, black pepper, and bay leaf, and bring to a gentle simmer. Continue to simmer, skimming any foam or excess oil that comes to the top, until the sauce is flavorful and thickened to the desired consistency, and any trace of floury taste is gone, about 2 hours.
  6. Add the chicken, green onions, and parsley to the gumbo and continue to simmer about 30 minutes longer. Don’t stir too much or the chicken will fall apart into shreds. Adjust the thickness, if necessary, by adding water or more broth. Adjust the seasoning with salt and cayenne as needed.
  7. Serve the gumbo in shallow bowls over hot white rice. Have the hot sauce and filé at the table for guests to use to their liking.
 
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