Delicious, authentic chicken gumbo combines all the best flavors of the bayou in every single bite!

To Roux or Not to Roux? That perennially stands as the conundrum whenever the topic of gumbo recipes arises. I’ve experimented with both approaches, but my heart firmly leans towards the inclusion of roux.

There exist two primary methods to integrate this key element into your gumbo, whether it’s brimming with shrimp or laden with chicken. Some opt to introduce the roux right before serving, while others, like myself, prefer starting with it. While both avenues yield commendable results, today, I’ll walk you through the ingredients for my gumbo, which kicks off with a roux.

What Fats Should I Use?

The best fats to use to brown your chicken are going to be those with high smoke points, and are a neutral oil. This would be canola oil, grapeseed oil, or even avocado oil. Of course, bacon fat is always a welcome fat to use in any of the famous creole dishes.

What is Homemade Roux?

This is basically a labor of love in cooking. It’s an equal amount of flour mixed with equal parts of oil or fat, such as butter, tallow, or lard.

What Flour Should I Use?

In my experience, the flour with the most thickening power is all purpose, but you can also use whole wheat flour. You can try sweet rice flour for a more gluten free gumbo, but your results may vary a bit.

What Are The Stages Of Roux?

Roux can have several stages of being “done”. They range from a light golden, or blond stage to a dark brown stage. Your homemade roux will have loads of great flavor the longer you cook it, but the different types of roux are used in different ingredients.

This recipe works wonders whether you’re using shrimp or chicken, but I’ll detail the chicken variation here, given its widespread availability.

Authentic Chicken Gumbo Recipe

Ingredients:

8 pieces of chicken (preferably a whole chicken, cut up)
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
Canola oil (as needed)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup celery
1/4 cup bell pepper
6 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
16 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup packed parsley
1/4 cup onion top

Making your Chicken Creole Gumbo

In a 5-quart cast-iron pot, drizzle a bit of canola oil to coat the bottom. Heat the pot, then add the chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides; note that it will still be raw inside. This step is merely to brown the exterior. Once browned, set the chicken aside.
In the same pot, add the flour and salt. You may need to add a bit more oil to form a paste with the flour. Aim for a consistency akin to pancake batter. Cook the flour and oil over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the roux reaches a dark brown stag, being careful not to burn it.
Once the roux reaches your desired color, add the chopped onions. Sauté them into the roux for about 15 minutes or until they turn translucent.
Incorporate the celery, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pot along with the bay leaves and chicken broth.
Increase the heat to high until it reaches a boil, then reduce it to low, cover, and simmer for one hour.
Before serving, add the parsley and onion tops.

This chicken cajun gumbo pairs wonderfully with white rice, which can be cooked separately. When serving, ladle the gumbo over a scoop of white rice.

This dish holds a special place in my heart, reminiscent of Sundays spent enjoying gumbo in Cajun households across South Louisiana. It’s a testament to love and hospitality, shared with loved ones and neighbors alike.

Though I now reside in Texas, I’ve brought this cherished tradition with me. Many weekends are spent simmering a pot of gumbo, inviting friends over, or sharing a pot with neighbors. I’ve passed down the art of crafting a good roux to my son, who’s added his own flair to the recipe, continuing the tradition in Austin.

As the saying goes, you can take the girl out of the bayou, but you can’t take the bayou out of the girl.

Authentic Chicken Gumbo

Delicious, authentic chicken gumbo combines all the best flavors of the bayou in every single bite!

Ingredients

8 pieces of chicken ( I prefer a whole chicken cut up)
One tablespoon of salt
One teaspoon black pepper
Canola oil (if needed)
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 1/2 pound chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup celery
1/4 cup bell pepper
6 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
16 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup packed parsley
1/4 cup onion top

Instructions

In a 5 quart cast iron pot add a lil canola oil just to wet the bottom of the pot. Heat the pot when hot add chicken, add salt and pepper
Cook chicken till brown on both side. The chicken will still be raw In the middle your only Browning the outside of the chicken. Once the chicken is browned on all sides, remove it from the pot and set aside.
In the same dirty pot you just browned the chicken in add your flour. And salt. You may have to add a lil extra fat (canola oil) to make a paste with the flour. The consistency should look like pancake batter.
Cook the flour and oil on med for 30 min or until the roux turns a dark brown. Be careful not to burn it.
Once the roux is cooked to the color you want add your chopped onions. Sauté in to the roux for 15 min or until the Onions are trans.
Add the celery, bell pepper, and garlic, sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Return the chicken back to the pot along with a Bayleaf chicken stock.
Raise the heat back to high, till it comes to a boil reduce back to low, cover and cook for one hour.
Before serving, add parsley and onion tops.