I hope you guys aren’t sick of slow cooker recipes yet.
I promise one of these days I’ll put it back in the cabinet and start using my stove again. But for now, the ole Hamilton Beach stand-by (I should really name her) strikes again. This time, with a spicy, full-of-flavor gumbo.
I know what some of you out there are doing. You are thinking, “Eh, that sounds okay, but okra is gross.” And now you are scrolling. And now you’ve skipped this post. And now you’ll never know that okra is awesome.
If you’ve never cooked okra, you may not know that it can exude a slime when it is cooked. Gross, right? Well, there are ways to cook okra to lower the slime quotient, but this recipe actually uses the slime to help thicken the gumbo instead of adding other thickeners like cornstarch or flour. By slicing open the okra before placing it in the slow cooker, the slime is released and mixes with the stock. You end up with a thickened and slime-free gumbo. Win-win.
Now that I’ve thoroughly disgusted you by spending a whole paragraph talking about okra slime…
Make sure you serve this over top a nice bed of fluffy brown rice with some cornbread on the side. If you are feeling particularly crazy, go ahead and dollop a bit of sour cream on top. The cool sour cream pairs really nicely with the spicy andouille sausage. I’ve mentioned a few times before that we are spice lightweights, so the spiciness of the andouille was enough for us. If you are a little more adventurous, feel free to take your life in your own hands and toss in some cayenne pepper.
Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo
Adapted from Martha Stewart. Spicy andouille sausage has risen in popularity lately and I had no problem finding it next to the smoked sausage in my Midwestern supermarket. If you have any issues finding it, you can sub in your favorite smoked sausage. Just make sure to add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to compensate for the lower heat factor.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 large red bell peppers, diced
- 2 large stalks celery, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 12 ounces frozen or fresh okra, sliced into discs
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into half moons
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 3 cups water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker, add all ingredients. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 or until vegetables are mushy and stock is slightly thickened (it will still be thin).
- Serve over brown rice with cornbread on the side.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 564mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 17g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
