I was on a radio program this morning with Bill Cossett and Russ Wilson, talking about Super Bowl foods. I mentioned that we were going to have Chicken Gumbo in our home on Sunday, along with some appetizers, and I’ve had a couple of listeners call and ask for the recipe.
So here it is. It’s really, really simple and takes no time to put together, especially if you use the shortcuts I mention at the end of the recipe. I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s ALWAYS a crowd-pleaser. Even my children like it, okra and all.
Chicken Gumbo
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, finely chopped*
2 green bell peppers, finely chopped*
3 ribs celery, finely chopped*
2 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes**
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 1/2 quarts chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped okra
1 whole rotisserie chicken, deboned and chopped
Hot pepper sauce and cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon gumbo file powder (optional)
Cooked white rice
Heat oil in a large pot and cook garlic, onions, peppers and celery until soft and translucent. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and add okra and chicken. Season with hot pepper sauce, cayenne, salt, pepper and file. Simmer for 1 hour or until flavors meld together. Serve over hot cooked rice. (I usually add 3 cups of cooked rice to the gumbo and simmer a few minutes before serving. That way, nobody gets too much gumbo or too much rice.)
Serves 8 to 10.
* Instead of chopping onions, bell peppers and celery, I use two bags of frozen Seasoning Blend, which is the same thing. You find it in the grocery store with the frozen vegetables.
** I use a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes.
