Gumbo Recipe
This shrimp, chicken, and smoked sausage gumbo is a rich, comforting bowl of Southern-inspired goodness with a flavorful twist. Green and red chilies add depth and gentle heat, while Chili Crush brings a subtle smoky backbone that sets this version apart. The shrimp is optional, making the recipe easy to customize. Served with a small scoop of rice and warm cornbread, it’s a bold, satisfying meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekends alike.
Ingredients
1/2 Bottle (5oz) of Chili Crush - Rojo Smoked Garlic
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite sized pieces) - can substitute with chicken breast
13 - 16 oz andouille smoked sausage (cut into 1/4” slices or half moons) - can substitute with kielbasa or other smoked sausage
1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1x 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, not drained
1/2 of a large onion (diced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I prefer avocado or light olive oil)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (I prefer avocado or light olive oil)
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Cajun/creole seasoning (no salt version)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried ground thyme ( or 1 tsp fresh diced thyme if you have it)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons Gumbo Filé powder
2 cups chicken broth
2 green onions - both white and green parts (chopped). Chop extra for garnish
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped). Chop extra for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Cooked basmati or jasmine rice for serving
Directions
To make the roux, start by heating an oven to 350°F. Whisk the oil and flour together into an oven safe dish, such as an all metal pan, skillet, baking dish, etc. Let cook in the oven for 90 minutes. The mixture should turn a brown/redish color - similar to what melted milk chocolate looks like, or similar to the color of a brick.
Transfer the roux to the bottom of a Instant Pot.
In a large pan over medium/medium-high heat, heat 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil. Once hot, but before the oil smokes, drop in the chicken, onion, celery, Cajun/creole seasoning, paprika, and salt. Mix it all up, spread it out and leave it undisturbed for a couple of minutes to form a golden crust. Continue to cook for a few more minutes until you got some crust to form on the chicken and the vegetables are softened, then transfer to the instant pot. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point. There will most likely be fond stuck to the bottom of the pan which is good - leave it for now.
Pour in a bottle of Chili Crush - Rojo Smoked Garlic into the Instant Pot. Also add in the diced tomatoes and juice in the can, 2 bay leaves, thyme, oregano, only 1 teaspoon of Filé powder and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
Set the Instant Pot for high pressure and cook for 25 minutes. Let pressure release naturally when finished.
Meanwhile, using the same large pan over medium/high heat, drop in the andouille sausage and shrimp. Leave everything flat on the pan and undisturbed for 2-3 minutes.
Stir the sausages and shrimp and cook another 1-3 minutes. The fond should begin to deglaze and dissolve into the sausage and shrimp. You can add small amounts of water to help deglaze the pan. Its easy to overcook shrimp causing them to be rubbery in texture - because of this I recommend using a needle temperature probe. Once the shrimp has reached 130°F, remove both shrimp and sausage from heat.
Once the Instant Pot is done, remove the lid, remove and discard bay leaves and stir in the green onions and parsley (reserve a little of both for garnish at the end). Also stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon Filé powder.
Once it has cooled slightly for a couple of minutes, stir in the sausage and shrimp.
Serving
Serve over basmati or jasmine rice. If you want to be extra fancy - using a paper towel, wipe the inside of a small bowl with a vegetable oil. Tightly pack in some rice, then flip it over and the rice should plop out in the center of your larger serving bowl. Now carefully surround it with the gumbo. Garnish with the remaining diced parsley and the sliced green onion. This dish also pairs perfectly with a side of cornbread - so be sure to try out our green chili cornbread recipe!
