Baked Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Gumbo doesn't have to be hard! Instead of slowly cooking and stirring a roux for what seems like forever, try this alternative baked method. It's not a shortcut per se, but cooking it in the oven will save you from having to stand over the stove for hours. Serve hot with a spoonful of white rice.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 50 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 758 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup diced celery
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 green onions, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• kosher salt to taste
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 pound smoked pork sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen sliced okra, thawed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

Stir flour, oil, and butter together to form a paste. Transfer "roux" to the center of a large roasting pan and spread out into a rough rectangle about 1/2-inch thick, leaving enough room around the outside to place the chicken and sausage.

Step 3

Lay chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sausage pieces around the roux. Season chicken generously with salt.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter onion, celery, and bell pepper evenly over the chicken, sausage, and roux. Briefly stir the roux in the center, then spread it back out. Continue baking for 20 minutes.

Step 5

Remove pan from oven; remove chicken and sausage to a plate and reserve until needed. Stir vegetables and roux together in the pan, spread back out into an even layer, and bake for another 20 minutes, or until roux is as browned as you like.

Step 6

Mix chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne in a large bowl or pitcher. Refrigerate cooking liquid until needed.

Step 7

Pour the cold cooking liquid mixture into the gumbo and whisk until well combined. Stir in tomatoes and okra. Add the sausage and chicken back in, skin-side up. Continue baking, stirring gently and occasionally, until liquid is thick and chicken is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes more.

Step 8

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Garnish with green onions.