chicken gumbo with okra
This chicken gumbo uses okra and file to thicken. It's much lighter than a gumbo based on a roux. You can serve this as a main course or thin it with a bit of stock to serve as a soup.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large green pepper diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 jalapeño peppers minced
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
- 1 lb okra sliced
- 6 oz kielbasa coarsely diced
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp creole seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp file powder
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot.
- Season chicken with 2 tsp creole seasoning and cook chicken and kielbasa until the chicken is lightly browned. Remove chicken from pot.
- Add onion, green pepper, celery, jalapeño and remaining 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp creole seasoning to the pot. Add more oil if required (you shouldn't have to) and cook, stirring, over medium heat until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add the okra. It will turn into a slimy mess at this point. Do not despair. It fixes itself. Cook, stirring occasionally until the slime disappears, about 5 minutes.
- Return chicken, kielbasa and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add enough chicken stock to almost cover (about 1 1/2 cups). Simmer, loosely covered for 20 minutes. Add 1 tsp file powder, stir and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning.
- Serve as is or ladle over cooked rice.
Notes
Gumbo calls for andouille sausage. If unavailable (as it is for me) substitute kielbasa.
Replace the creole seasoning with whatever your favourite is. Just make sure you make sure you don't make the dish too salty.
Add additional chicken stock to serve as a soup.