Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbbone-in chicken pieces$5.82
• 8 ozandouille sausage, sliced$2.37
• 0.33 cupvegetable oil$0.38
• 0.33 cupall-purpose flour$0.08
• 1 eachyellow onion, diced$0.85
• 1 eachgreen bell pepper, diced$1.33
• 2 eachcelery stalks, diced$0.30
• 4 eachgarlic cloves, minced$0.49
• 5 cupchicken broth$2.28
• 1.5 cupokra, sliced$1.23
• 1 tbspCajun seasoning$0.05
• 1 eachbay leaf$0.06
• 0.5 tspdried thyme$0.06
• 0.5 tspblack pepper$0.06
• 0.75 tspkosher salt$0.01
• Total for 4 servings$15.37

Most of the cost is bone-in chicken pieces ($5.82) and andouille sausage, sliced ($2.37). With oil, spices and staples already at home, the shop drops to about $12.57. Prices are estimated for the amount used, at average US grocery prices (November 2026).

Steps

1. Pat the bone-in chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season evenly with 0.25 tsp of the kosher salt.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the sausage for 3 to 4 minutes and lift it out with a slotted spoon. Add the chicken and sear over medium-high heat until golden on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes, then set it aside with the sausage.
3. Pour the remaining vegetable oil and the all-purpose flour into the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk, until the roux turns a glossy milk chocolate to dark brown color and smells nutty, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Stir the onion, green pepper and celery into the hot roux and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
5. Slowly whisk in the broth until smooth. Add the Cajun seasoning, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper, the remaining salt, the sausage and the chicken with its juices. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F (74°C).
6. Transfer the chicken to a plate, discard the bones and skin, and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded meat to the pot, stir in the sliced okra, and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until the okra is tender and the gumbo has visibly thickened, about 15 minutes.
7. Remove the pot from the heat and take out the bay leaf. If you like, sprinkle a little filé powder over the gumbo and stir it in; the okra has already thickened it. Let the stew rest off the heat for 5 minutes without returning to a boil.
8. Ladle the hot gumbo into shallow bowls and serve warm, over hot steamed white rice with sliced green onions if you like.