Erik Jimenez’s Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

February is a month for simple dinners and dining out. With the cold weather and the Valentine’s Day celebrations, we all know that we don’t have the energy to cook much, and that’s okay.

That’s why, during this time of the year, many people gravitate to their air fryers for fast and simple meals. But let’s have a quick conversation about air fryers: they are nothing more than a convection oven, and they are a pain in the butt to clean. 

While the air fryer has made it easier for busy people to eat during weeknights, they don’t produce meals that people actually want to eat. So now, as we are reaching the month of March, it’s time to break up with your air fryer.

For this week’s recipe we have a Cajun classic: Gumbo. A dish that requires technique, patience, and a whole lot of love. We are going to cook the heck out of the okra to help thicken the stew and reduce the sliminess, so please trust me and don’t omit it. If you can resist the temptation to eat it right away, it tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients: 

• ¾ cup vegetable oil, plus a few extra tablespoons for searing.
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into manageable pieces
• 1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced on a bias into slices
• 1 yellow onion, small dice
• 1 green bell pepper, small dice
• 2-3 celery ribs (depending on size), small dice
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 qt. of low-sodium or homemade chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 12 oz. okra (fresh or frozen), sliced into ½ inch rounds
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Louisiana-style hot sauce to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
• Parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Method:

1. Mise en place: Before searing the meat and cooking the roux, it’s imperative that you get your ingredients prepped ahead of time.
2. Season the chicken thighs with a small amount of the Cajun seasoning. In a skillet over medium-high, add some oil and sear the chicken thighs briefly on both sides until brown. Once browned, set aside.
3. Add the andouille sausage to the skillet and brown for about 5-6 minutes. Set aside with the chicken.
4. Drain some of the excess fat from the skillet and use a little bit of water to scrape the fond of the bottom of the pan. We will use these beautiful meat juices later!
5. Now, we tackle the roux. In a Dutch oven, add the vegetable oil and heat over medium heat until just before the oil starts to smoke. Slowly incorporate and whisk in the flour to avoid lumps. I like to use a combination of a whisk, a wooden spoon, and a silicon spatula to stir roux almost constantly until it turns to a chocolate brown color. Don’t walk away from the roux, you will burn it. Also, don’t let it get too dark since it will continue cooking in the next step.
6. Once the roux is nice and dark, lower the heat to medium-low, add the onions, bell pepper, and celery with a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Add in the garlic with about 1/3 of the remaining Cajun seasoning and cook for about a minute or so.
8. Whisk in the chicken stock to avoid lumps, add bay leaves and thyme, and heat to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
9. After an hour, add in the okra, chicken, and sausage with the remaining bit of the Cajun seasoning. Simmer for about 2 hours longer. With about 20 minutes left, add the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce to taste.
10. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining Cajun seasoning. Remove from heat, remove bay leaves and thyme. Let cool and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the congealed fat from the surface and gradually reheat the gumbo until hot. Serve with cooked white rice and garnish with scallions and parsley.