Low-Fat Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo
Indulge in the rich, authentic flavors of New Orleans’s iconic gumbo without the guilt. This low-fat chicken and smoked sausage gumbo is a healthier twist on the classic Cajun dish. Skip the traditional roux and use oven-browned flour for the thickening, cutting down on the fat while preserving the bold, savory taste.
Servings: 8
Calories: 320kcal
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (3.75 ounces, 106 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 pound (16 ounces, 454 grams) smoked sausage cut into ¼ inch slices (See Tip 1)
- 1 pound (16 ounces, 454 grams) skinned and boneless chicken, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces. (See Tip 2)
- 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning (See Tip 3)
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion (1 medium onion)
- ¾ cup seeded and chopped bell pepper(1 large bell pepper)
- ¾ cup chopped celery (3 to 4 stalks)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups (32 ounces, 946 ml) low-sodium chicken broth (See Tip 4)
- 1 Tablespoon (0.5 ounces, 15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- White rice cooked according to package directions.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spread the flour on a large-rimmed baking pan with sides. Bake at 375°F for one hour, stirring well every 15 minutes or until the desired color is achieved. Watch carefully to prevent the flour from burning. Remove from the oven and set aside. (See Tip 5)
- Toss the chicken with the Cajun seasoning; set aside.
- Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally until browned and fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Drain sausage on a paper towel-lined plate; cool slightly. Press each cooked sausage piece between paper towels to remove as much fat as possible; set aside. Pour fat from the Dutch oven; wipe the pan with a paper towel to remove any remaining fat, leaving behind the browned bits.
- Add the chicken to the Dutch oven; cook over medium heat until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the Dutch oven; cook over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the oven-browned flour to the vegetable mixture; stir until the vegetables are coated. Cook for two minutes. Add chicken broth; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to remove any lumps, until mixture is thickened. Add the sausage, chicken, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally—correct seasonings.
- Serve gumbo over hot rice. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Video
Notes
- I used Conecuh Original Sausage, but you could also use the more traditional andouille sausage or your favorite smoked sausage.
- When it comes to the meat, I've found that using chicken thighs or a combination of chicken thighs and chicken breasts works well. However, feel free to experiment with cuts to suit your taste or what you have on hand.
- My Cajun seasoning of choice is Emeril's Essence, but feel free to use your favorite Cajun seasoning.
- You can substitute regular chicken broth for the low-sodium chicken broth. However, you might need to reduce the salt a bit.
- After an hour, the oven-baked flour will be about the color of roasted cashews.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 578mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 795IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg