Chicken Gumbo
Skip the heavy traditional gumbo and make this lighter version instead!
This Cajun-style Chicken Gumbo uses lean chicken breast meat in place of high-fat sausage and uses arrowroot for thickener instead of butter and flour.
Aromatic spices combine in a luxuriously rich sauce with okra and other vegetables.
If fresh okra isn’t available, frozen okra will work just as well.
Chicken Gumbo
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium celery stalk, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1½ lbs. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch strips
- 2 Tbsp. arrowroot (or corn starch)
- 3 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
- 8 oz. medium okra, sliced into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
Instructions
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Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
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Add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion softens.
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Add garlic and chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
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Add arrowroot to broth; whisk to blend.
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Slowly whisk broth into chicken mixture; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until mixture thickens slightly. The mixture should not be lumpy.
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Add bay leaf, thyme, pepper, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Add okra; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 additional minutes. Remove bay leaf.
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Serve about ¾ cup over ½ cup of rice.
Recipe Notes
To make this recipe in an Instant Pot (programmable pressure cooker), follow these instructions:
- Turn 6-quart Instant Pot to high sauté setting.
- Heat oil to hot.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
- Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
- Combine arrowroot and broth; mix well.
- Add broth mixture, chicken, bay leaf, thyme, pepper, pepper sauce, and okra. Follow manufacturer’s guidelines for locking lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- Follow manufacturer’s guide for quick release, and wait until cycle is complete. Carefully unlock and remove lid, taking care that there is no remaining steam.
- Remove bay leaf.
- Serve as listed above.
The Nutrition Facts box below provides estimated nutritional information for this recipe.
Container Equivalents
½ Green
1 Yellow
½ Red
½ tsp.
2B Mindset Plate It!
Add a side salad for a great lunch.
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