RECIPE:
Tommy's Original Gumbo Creation

Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Originally posted: February 1, 2005
Updated: July 30, 2009

1-2 onions
1 red pepper
1-2 green peppers
1 bundle of celery
1 squash
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2-1 cup olive oil
1/2-1 cup flour
1 can Rotel
1-2 cans tomatoes
Cajun (Creole) seasoning
Parsley
3-4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. sugar
4 lbs. chicken
2-3 lbs. sausage, andouille, or kielbasa

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Chop onions, red and green peppers and celery. Slice squash. Reserve.

Slowly stir the flour into medium-low heated oil in a heavy stock pot. (Stir with a heavy plastic or wooden spoon, as mixture produces extreme heat.) Continue to stir until flour is medium or dark brown. Be careful to avoid burning mixture.

Add onions, red and green peppers, celery, squash and garlic. Stir until onions are clear.

Add Rotel and tomatoes. Cook slowly, adding parsley and 3 to 4 cups broth — a little at a time. Season with Cajun seasoning and/or salt and pepper to taste. Stir in one teaspoon of sugar.

Cover and cook over lowest heat setting for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

While cooking, bake Creole-seasoned chicken in oven until fully cooked at 350 degrees (usually about 30-45 minutes). Brown sausage (sliced into coin-sized chunks).

Pull baked chicken into chunks and add it to the pot. Add sausage. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 to 30 minutes. (The longer it simmers, the thicker the gumbo and better the taste.)

Makes 4-6 servings. Re-heats well.

(Optional: Serve over baked cornbread or brown rice in soup bowls.)

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