Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo from L’Auberge Baton Rouge

1. Heat a large heavy pot over medium high heat until hot, about 3 minutes. 
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. 
3. Add to pot, skin side down, and sear until golden brown, about 8 minutes, then transfer to plate.
4. Add vegetable oil, then flour, to drippings in pot. Stir with a wooden spoon to blend well.
5. Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until roux is formed chocolate-brown color. About 25 minutes.
6. Add sausage, chopped onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic to roux and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently about 4 minutes. 
7. Add beer and stir to blend.
8. Add chicken broth, creole seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, cayenne pepper and approx 2 tsp salt. Stir well to blend.
9. Return chicken pieces to pot, increase heat and bring up to a boil. 
10. Reduce heat to medium low, simmer uncovered until chicken is tender, skimming foam from surface and stirring occasionally, about 1 ½ hours.
11. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate, cool until easy to handle, about 20 minutes. 
12. Remove meat from bones; discard bones and skin. Cut meat into 1 inch pieces. 
13. Spoon fat off of top of gumbo. 
14. Return meat to gumbo.
15.  Season with salt and pepper.
16. Serve with Louisiana rice and top with green onions. Enjoy!

Start with a whole chicken. I bought mine whole
 and trimmed and cut it into quarters.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat a large heavy pot over medium high heat until hot.
Add chicken to the pot, skin side down.

Sear until golden brown,
about 8 minutes, then transfer to plate.

Depending on how much drippings you have in the pot, adjust the amount of oil you add. The original recipe said 1/4 cup. I added 1/2 cup oil.

Add vegetable oil, then flour, to drippings in pot.

 Stir with a wooden spoon to blend well.

Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until roux is formed chocolate-brown color.
About 25 minutes.

This recipe uses Andouille sausage.
It is a smoked pork sausage popular in Louisiana Cajun dishes.

Chop up the sausage into bite size pieces.

When making a detailed recipe like this I always prep everything ahead of time so it is ready to be tossed right in. I promise this saves you so much time and stress later when you are cooking!

Add sausage, chopped onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic to the roux.

Cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently about 4 minutes.

Add beer and stir to blend.

Creole seasoning is recommended. I always use Tony Chachere’s.

Pour in chicken broth.

 Now add creole seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, cayenne pepper and approx 2 tsp salt.
Stir well to blend.

Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate, cool until easy to handle, about 20 minutes.

Remove meat from bones; discard bones and skin. Cut meat into 1 inch pieces.

Spoon fat off of top of gumbo and return meat to gumbo.

 Season with salt and pepper and you are ready to serve.

Now ladle in lots of chunky, hearty, gumbo.

Garnish with green onions and dig in!

Now let me tell y’all I have lived in Louisiana for about five years now and I have tried many, many different gumbos. This, my friends, is the BEST. Make it tonight. Thank me tomorrow!