Gluten-Free Gumbo

large bowl of gluten free gumbo with rice and okra

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5 from 2 votes

This gluten-free gumbo isn’t just good—it’s unforgettable.

Prep Time45

Cook Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Calories: 459kcal

Author: Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
12 oz Andouille sausage sliced into 1/8 thick coins
2 cups white onion finely chopped - about 1 large onion
4 celery stalks finely chopped
3 bell peppers Medium chopped ( mix red, yellow and green)
3 cloves garlic minced
14 oz chopped tomatoes canned is preferred
½ cup avocado oil plus an additional 2 tbsp to pan sear the chicken
2 cups 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour (divided) I use King Arthur Measure for Measure 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour or Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour
2 tsp garlic powder divided
2 tsp onion powder divided
2 ½ tsp cajun seasoning divided ( I use homemade Emerils' Original Essence)
3 stems fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp fresh parley minced
8 cups chicken stock
12 oz fresh okra cut into 1/8" rings
2 tsp kosher salt divided
1 tsp black pepper divided

Instructions

Prep the Veggies: Finely chop onion, bell peppers, and celery (vegetable trinity), and reserve in a large bowl. Mince 3 cloves of garlic and add to the bowl of reserved vegetables.
Prepare the Chicken: Prepare seasoned flour by combining 1 cup 1:1 flour with 1 tsp each salt, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, onion powder and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Dredge chicken thighs through the seasoned flour, and pat to remove any excess.
Sear the Chicken: In a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan, heat 2 tbsp of avocado or grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, gently lay chicken thighs into the pan. Cook about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on each side with a crispy flour crust. Continue to cook the chicken thighs in batches, approximately 3-4 at a time, to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Allow chicken to rest on a baking rack with a tray beneath to allow excess oil to drip off or alternatively rest the chicken on a plate lined with paper towel.
Sausage Note: If you are using uncooked Andouille sausage, you can gently cook the sausage in the remaining oil. Remove and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. If you using a precooked Andouille sausage, skip this step.
Make the Roux: In a large pot, (7-8 quart is ideal), heat 1/2 cup of avocado oil or grapeseed oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Slowly sprinkle in 1 cup of 1:1 gluten-free flour, continuously whisking as you add the flour to the oil.
Keep whisking the flour and oil mixture over med-high heat. It will begin to darken and change color immediately. It is important to keep whisking and scraping the sides of the pot to avoid burning and sticking.
If you burn the roux, you will need to start over. As it cooks, the flour mixture will bubble, it is very hot, so be careful to avoid splatters. Notice the aroma as the color changes from light brown to red to brown to dark brown. It should smell toasted, not burned. As the flour gets darker, the toasted aroma will intensify.
Cook the roux until it is medium-dark brown after about 7-10 minutes (depending on how hot your pot was). A little darker than the color of milk chocolate. If this is your first time, you can lower the heat to cook the roux at a slower more forgiving pace.
Add the Veggies: Add the finely chopped onions, celery, bell pepper and minced garlic.
With a wooden spoon, stir to mix the hot roux and the veggies, approx. 30 seconds.
Note: The vegetable and the roux may clump a little. Don't worry as the mixture will smooth once liquids are added.
Add Tomato and Seasoning: Stir in 1 (14oz) can of crushed tomatoes, and fresh minced parsley. Add the remaining salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning. As you work the tomatoes into the mixture it should develop a glossy appearance and darken a little.
Add Stock: With a wooden spoon, steadily stir in 8 cups of chicken stock. Add three sprigs of fresh thyme, 2-3 bay leaves, and any remaining dry seasonings. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
Add Chicken and Sausage:
Cut the cooked chicken thighs into large bite-sized pieces and add to the simmering gumbo.
Add the sliced Andouille sausage to the simmering gumbo.
Simmer - Add Patience:
Allow the gumbo to simmer for 1.25 - 1.5 hrs. After 45 minutes, start to stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot. The gumbo will reduce and thicken as the flavors will meld and intensify. Once the gumbo has reduced by a little over 1/4 in volume, it should coat the back of a spoon and develop the consistency of a stew, not as loose as a soup but not as thick as a sauce.
Once the gumbo has reached this texture, turn off the heat.
Expert Tips: If there is a layer of foam or oil on top, skim this off. It will help clarify the flavor. Sometimes there is no excess oil, and sometimes there is as much as a 1/2 cup. It will vary depending on the fat content of the chicken and how much oil the flour absorbed and retained from the frying stage.
Prepare Okra:
In a separate pan, sauté the sliced okra in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Cook until it is browned, allowing the edges to become crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and sprinkle with some flaky sea salt. (Maldon salt works great for this).
Serve: We love serving with gumbo with a big scoop of rice and crispy okra on top. Finish with sliced scallions if you'd like.

Notes

Expert Tips:

Be very careful as you are stirring your roux. This is a very hot mixture (like molten lava). I highly encourage you wear an apron. Whisk smoothly to avoid splatters.
If your roux burns, you will need to start over. A burned roux will impart an acrid burned flavor into the entire dish. It's better to cut your losses and start again than make an entire pot of burned gumbo. Be careful if you need to start over, wait until the flour and oil have cooled enough to safely clean the pot.
If this is your first time making a roux, you can cook it over a lower heat. It will just take longer to cook.

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