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

Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes

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

  1. 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).
  2. Serve over brown rice with cornbread on the side.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount 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.

Do you like okra?

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13 Comments

  1. I may have to make this recipe. And by sourcing your sausage properly, you can totally label this recipe as Gluten Free as there is nothing in here that could cause issues with anyone with Celiac’s disease. I’m making this for my roomie (if my slow cooker is big enough at least)

  2. I do like okra, but my husband hates it. I will never tire of the slow cooker recipes. I am always trying to find ways to use my slow cooker, so keem them coming.

    1. Awesome! That happens pretty often in the blog world, I’m finding. ๐Ÿ˜› There are only so many types of food we can all make and post!

  3. this looks so good! I have actually stayed away from okra for a long time because typically it is fried around here, and I’m allergic to gluten. It’s also kind of intimidating, since I rarely see it in recipes. But I might have to try this one!

  4. I’m totally guilty of avoiding Okra. Tried making it a couple years back and was pretty disgusted by the results. Using it in a slow cooker recipe makes sense though, that slime must really help thicken up the juices!

  5. I tried it for the first time a few years ago and loved it. It’s a little hard to find around here, I get pretty excited when I do find it.

    1. Have you tried the frozen veggies section? We can get it pretty much anywhere in the summer, but once fall set in, the freezer section is the only place I can find it.

  6. True story: when I was in kindergarten my teacher taught us to spell okra: “g” “a” “g”
    My parents found this utterly hilarious.