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Reduced-Fat Sausage, Chicken, and Shrimp Gumbo

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on June 21, 2012

Time

1¾ hours

Yield

Serves 6

Reduced-Fat Sausage, Chicken, and Shrimp Gumbo

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 ounces andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced thin1 onion, chopped fine1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine1 celery rib, minced5 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained3 tablespoons fish sauce 2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed1 pound medium shrimp (41-50 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed2 cups frozen okra, thawedSalt and pepper

Before You Begin

The toasted flour in step 1 should be slightly paler than a brown paper bag. You can find fish sauce in the international food aisle of most grocery stores. Since the salt content of fish sauce varies from brand to brand, taste the finished gumbo before seasoning it with salt. Serve with rice.

Instructions

  1. Toast flour in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, until light brown and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
  2. Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in toasted flour, garlic, thyme, and cayenne and cook until ­fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in broth slowly to avoid lumps. Stir in tomatoes and fish sauce. Add chicken and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 25 minutes.
  3. Transfer chicken to plate. Cover gumbo and remove from heat. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size pieces and return to pot; discard bones. Return gumbo to simmer, stir in shrimp and okra, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Gumbo can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
Reduced-Fat Sausage, Chicken, and Shrimp Gumbo

Reduced-Fat Sausage, Chicken, and Shrimp Gumbo

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¾ hours

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
1 pound medium shrimp (41-50 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
2 cups frozen okra, thawed
Salt and pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
1 pound medium shrimp (41-50 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
2 cups frozen okra, thawed
Salt and pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
1 pound medium shrimp (41-50 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
2 cups frozen okra, thawed
Salt and pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to create a healthier gumbo recipe with plenty of flavor. Toasting flour in a dry pan and mixing it with the aromatics allowed us to slash the amount of fat needed for the “roux” while keeping the deep, toasty flavor. Lean breast meat replaces chicken thighs, but we use bone-in to maximize the flavor while reducing the calories and fat. Fish sauce enhances the seafood flavor of lean shrimp, and just 4 ounces of andouille adds meaty richness and spice.

Before You Begin

The toasted flour in step 1 should be slightly paler than a brown paper bag. You can find fish sauce in the international food aisle of most grocery stores. Since the salt content of fish sauce varies from brand to brand, taste the finished gumbo before seasoning it with salt. Serve with rice.

Instructions

  1. Toast flour in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, until light brown and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
  2. Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in toasted flour, garlic, thyme, and cayenne and cook until ­fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in broth slowly to avoid lumps. Stir in tomatoes and fish sauce. Add chicken and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 25 minutes.
  3. Transfer chicken to plate. Cover gumbo and remove from heat. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size pieces and return to pot; discard bones. Return gumbo to simmer, stir in shrimp and okra, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Gumbo can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)

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