Warm Your Bones With This Spicey Winter Chicken Gumbo [RECIPE]

Wintertime means soup time at my house. There is just something about a hot bowl of soup that feels extra comforting and snuggly this time of year.

Get our free mobile app

I'm a soup fan year-round. But, in the winter, I like to add some heat to the hot. My go-to is always chili. It's a family favorite. There are times though, that I will make other things to warm our bones. My family always loves my Chicken Gumbo.

Here is the recipe. But first, let's dig into the delicious soup that is gumbo.

What is Chicken Gumbo?

According to The Spruce Eats,

This hearty soup is a basic Creole-style chicken gumbo made with tomatoes and the essential "holy trinity" of Cajun and Creole cooking: onions, bell peppers, and celery.

Who invented Chicken Gumbo?

The roots of gumbo do run deep in Louisiana. Enslaved Africans were brought to the French colony in large numbers starting in 1719, and by 1721 more than half the residents of New Orleans were African. - Serious Seats

What is the difference between Jambalaya and Gumbo?

When researching for this article, I discovered that I make kind of a combination of the two.

The main difference between these two dishes is <b>their use of rice</b>. Gumbo is a soup or stew that's often served over a little rice, while jambalaya is made with the rice cooked into the dish, making the grain an integral part of it. Jambalaya is a way to cook rice.

I've always cooked my rice in the juices of the gumbo. I had no idea that is how you make jambalaya.

Spicy Winter Chicken Gumbo

2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
6 cups chicken broth
1 large, white onion, cut into pieces
1 large green bell pepper
4 cloves of garlic
3 cups sliced frozen okra
1 large can petite diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Put all ingredients into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add 3 cups rice when gumbo is done cooking and let continue to cook for 15 or 20 minutes. Serve warm.