On a visit to New Orleans, I tried a chicken and andouille sausage gumbo that was delicious. I had a similar dish just recently while visiting family out in California and when we returned home I decided that I needed to have a gumbo recipe as part of my own repertoire.

I was frankly, surprised at the ease of the recipe that I pulled together, not to mention the delicious taste! This made a lot of gumbo — enough for six to enjoy for dinner and still have lots of leftovers.

If you want to make this a little spicier, add between 2 Tbs. and ¼ cup of Tabasco sauce with the vegetables.

This is a great meal for a chilly evening, or when someone in your household is sick, or if you just want something tasty for dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. Olive oil
• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
• salt and pepper
• 1 ½ lbs. andouille sausage, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 qt. Chicken broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups cooked white rice

Directions

1. Preheat a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, with 1 lb. of the diced chicken and half the sausage. Season with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides.
2. Transfer chicken and sausage to a dish and repeat with remaining meats. Transfer to dish.
3. Add butter, pepper and onions to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Slowly stir in the broth and bring liquid up to a boil.
6. Add chicken and sausage, to the boiling broth, and then stir in the tomatoes. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
7. Simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors
8. Serve gumbo over a scoop of the cooked white rice in bowls.