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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Diet recipes >>  Chicken Gumbo

Chicken Gumbo Recipe, Nutritional Value


Chicken gumbo is an adapted form of gumbo which is a dish from Louisiana or the Creole cuisine. It’s a traditional soup or a stew and has inspired many searches for the perfect gumbo. The addition of chicken has been a modern one to suit everyday living. It consists of meat, vegetables and a roux or a thickener which is either made from okra or filé (which are a form of dried sassafras leaves).

More on health benefits of chicken

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoon vegetable shortening
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 5 cups chicken broth or water
  • 8 tomatoes, peeled/chopped
  • ½ pound okra, cut into pieces
  • 1 ½ tablespoon filé gumbo or filé powder
  • ½ cup uncooked rice
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼  tsp thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 full chicken, cooked

Preparation time: 90-120 minutes

Directions & serving size:

  • Start with making a roux. Melt the butter into a big pot.
    Add flour to it and let is cook while stirring rapidly for around 10 minutes. Do not let it burn. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook till onions turn translucent.
  • Add the warm broth or water and wait for a boil.
  • Add all vegetables, fresh herbs and filé powder and bring it all to a boil.
  • Add the cooked chicken, cover the pot and let it simmer for some time.
  • Stir, adjust seasoning and cover and cook for a final 20 minutes.
  • This serves 6 people.

Serving instructions:

Chicken gumbo is served in bowls, topped with fresh herbs if you like and with a side of cornbread.

Nutritional Value Per Serving


  • Gumbo traditionally is very high in calories and fat due to the use of lard or shortening and broth. Controlling these can control the calories.
  • One bowl can contain up to 4 grams of fat, of which 1 gram is saturated fat; 51 milligrams of cholesterol and 81 milligrams of sodium.
You can also try cilantro chicken recipe

Health benefits:

 

  • Chicken gumbo is a healthier version, usually, of the gumbo you will find outside. It is a great meal with meat, vegetables and flavoring. 
  • Use leaner cuts of meat with more seasoning and less fat. This ensures more flavor and fewer calories.

Tips and warnings:

Southern cooking is typically very tasty and very unhealthy. When you eat gumbo outside, you are often not able to recognize how fatty these dishes can be. Making lean and tasty gumbo at home can be your way of eating it without all those harmful ingredients.

Submitted on January 16, 2014