[Homemade] Blackened Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo with Bacon

This is my own recipe with some inspiration from several popular online recipes mixed in.

Blackened Chicken & Andouille Gumbo w/Bacon

1 Lb. Chicken Breast – cut into small strips

Blackened Seasoning (I make large portions of this ahead of time and put it in a shaker)

* ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

* ¼ tsp ground cumin

* ¼ tsp dried thyme

* ⅛ tsp onion powder

* ⅛ tsp ground white pepper

* ½ tsp paprika

* ⅛ tsp salt

6 slices bacon – cut into 1” pieces.

1 Lb. Andouille sausage – cut into 1/4” slices

2-3 Tbsp. salted butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 cups (32oz) Chicken Stock

2 cups water

1/2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning

1/2 Tsp dried Thyme

1/2 Tsp Oregano

1/2 Tsp Cayenne

1/4 Tsp Zatarin’s liquid crab boil

3-5 Bay Leaves

Rice for serving

1. Preheat a cast iron on high heat.

2. Coat the chicken pieces in cooking spray. Then put it in a zip top bag with blackened seasoning – enough to coat the chicken (about 2-3 Tbsp). Shake the bag to coat the chicken in the blackened seasoning.

3. Put the chicken on the hot cast iron. Cook on each side about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Doesn’t necessarily need cooked all the way through but enough to blacken it. Set aside.

4. Cook the 6 pieces of cut-up bacon in the same pan. The bacon will pick up some of the blackened seasoning. (It helps to have a flat iron to press it to get it crispy.) Set the bacon aside on paper towels. Do not drain the skillet.

5. In the same pan, with the bacon grease, cook the sausage about 2-3 minutes on each side until they become coated with a nice crust. Use the flat iron to press again. Set aside on paper towels.

6. Make the roux. In the pan with the grease, turn it off and let it cool slightly. Add 2-3 Tbsp. salted butter. When the butter is melted, turn back on the pan to medium high heat. Stir the fats to mix them up. Add 1/3 cup of flour (you can use more if you like thicker). Whisk it into the roux. Cook the roux for 8-15 minutes, constantly stirring it, until it becomes a chocolate brown color. Don’t let it burn. Scrape all the browned bits of the meats into the roux as it browns.

7. Cook the veggies in the chocolate brown roux for 3-5 minutes. 1 small onion, 1 green pepper, & 2-3 stalks celery (The Holy Trinity), finely diced. (Here is where you have to trust the process. The veggies will stick and clump in the “waxy” roux. This is normal.)

8. Now add the chicken stock, spices and water. 4 cups chicken stock, 2 cups water. Spices – 1 /2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika, 1/2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning, 1/2 Tsp dried Thyme, 1/2 Tsp Oregano, 1/2 Tsp Cayenne, 1/4 Tsp Zatarin’s liquid crab boil, & 3-5 Bay leaves. Stir to mix well.

9. Bring it to a boil. Cook it for 6-10 minutes at a boil to break down the waxy roux and burn off some of the water.

10. Now set it on low and simmer for 1-2 hours, slowly cooking off the water and letting the flavors mesh. Stir occasionally. About 1/2 of the way in, add the chicken back to the pot. When there’s around 15 minutes left, add the bacon & sausage back in.

11. When it is just short of your desired thickness, turn it off and let it cool for 10 minutes. Remove the Bay leaves. (It will thicken a little more after it sits.)

12. Serve it over rice with bread or cornbread of your choice. (Pictured with buttered Texas toast in the air fryer on 400° for 4 minutes on one side and 2 mins on the other)