Half-Hour Chicken Gumbo

It's Friday again and although this Chicken Gumbo is not as easily portable as the Walking Tacos it is quick to prepare in under 30 minutes, making it a good choice for a hectic Friday night. Keep it warm on the stove or a slow cooker and your family can eat when it's convenient for them. Serve it up with cornbread, store-bought or homemade, and it becomes a hearty warm and fast meal for a busy day. If your Friday nights find you at the local high school football game, ladle this gumbo into a thermos, throw it in a basket along with a few paper cups or bowls and spoons. Preparing a meal to eat on the run or to tote with you can sometimes be a challenge. But with a handful of quick and easy recipes and early preparation, you've won half the battle! Enjoy your Friday night!

HALF-HOUR CHICKEN GUMBO

Rely on rotisserie chicken, smoked spicy sausage, and frozen okra from the store to stack up flavors in this quick rendition of a classic Cajun stew.

MAKES 1 HEARTY POT

INGREDIENTS

• Rotisserie chicken shaves many minutes from the total cooking time, and its slow-roasted goodness brings just as much to the mix as if you'd cooked your own.
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen, cut okra
• 8 ounces smoked (precooked) andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick
• 1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin and bones removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
• Store-bought or homemade cornbread, for serving (optional)

WHAT TO DO

• In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in bell peppers, onion, garlic, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add 4 cups water (2 of the 4 cups water can be replaced with chicken stock); stir in okra and sausage. Bring to a boil. Stir in shredded chicken, and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; if desired, serve with cornbread.

If you're interested in making your own cornbread, here is my Mama's recipe, it's the best!

ENJOY!

~THE DOMESTIC CURATOR~

RONDA