Earlier this week I made a delicious Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. The best part about it? It was relatively quick and super easy to make. All of the ingredients are pre-cooked (chicken and sausage) and the only real prep work involved is cutting the vegetables. Most importantly, this take on a classic southern dish is loaded with flavor between the garlic, onion and cayenne pepper.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 12oz bag of cut, frozen okra

salt & pepper

1/2 finely diced onion

1 cup finely diced celery

1 finely diced green bell pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

3-4 cups chicken broth (I prefer low sodium)

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 cups pre-cooked, shredded chicken

3 fully cooked andouille chicken sausages, sliced

1 cup wild rice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread okra on a baking sheet, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the over until golden brown (about 25 minutes).
2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-heat. Add diced onion, celery and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, cayenne and tomato paste. Saute for another 2 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of broth with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Whisk until dissolved. Pour into the pot and stir constantly. Add the remaining chicken broth. I prefer my gumbo to have more “stuff” and less broth, but you can add broth to your preference. I recommend somewhere between 3-4 cups.
5. Add the shredded chicken, andouille sausage and okra. Cover with lid and let cook for about 3-5 minutes until warm. Taste and add more salt & pepper or cayenne pepper to preference.
6. Top with a scoop of wild rice.

Enjoy!