Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Gumbo (Whole30)
Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Gumbo –– it’s what’s for dinner! Chop the holy trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper, throw everything in the Instant Pot and seal the lid. And while it’s not a traditional gumbo that starts with a browned roux, it’s gluten-free, Whole30 and full of intense Cajun flavor. We’ve made this recipe in several cooking classes over the past couple years, and it’s always a fan favorite.
Start by sautéing the vegetables in the base of your Instant Pot until soft. But also, if you’re short on time and just need to throw everything in and turn the sucker on, the recipe will still turn out great. After softening the veggies, add the spices, the arrowroot, chicken broth mixture, the chicken thighs and andouille sausage. Yes, you can use chicken breasts or shredded rotisserie chicken. Just cut down the cooking time to 10 minutes. Last but not least, a topping of roasted sliced okra adds a salty crunch. It’s completely optional though, in case you’re not on #teamokra.
Do you precook chicken for gumbo?
No need to brown the chicken first! Cut it up and throw it in the Instant Pot. If you’d like to use rotisserie chicken instead, reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes.
Is gumbo supposed to be thick or soupy?
Traditional gumbo is thick and starts with a browned roux. Cooked flour in the roux helps add a nutty, rich soup base. We’re making a Whole30 gumbo in an InstantPot that’s gluten-free, hence no browned flour roux. But there are directions in the recipe for thickening the base with Whole30-compliant arrowroot powder.
Does gumbo taste better the next day?
Gumbo is delicious the next day, too, which gives the flavors a chance to meld and blend. Which also means it’s a great “not sad desk lunch.” Don’t worry if you’re only serving 1-2, gumbo freezes well so do yourself a favor and tuck away portions for a lunch or dinner down the road.
What are good side dishes for gumbo?
We like to have our gumbo with steamed cauliflower rice (you can just warm frozen riced cauliflower in the microwave). Not doing a round of Whole30? Steamed rice soaks up all the flavor of the broth. If you’re an okra fan, roast up the rest of your okra and make a side of za’atar okra.
Do you have to add the crispy okra?
No! Whatever floats your boat. But remember that roasted okra is crispy, not slimy. I promise it’s delicious, and when you slice it thin and cook it at high heat, it acts like a crunchy vegetable crouton on top of your soup.
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?
Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Gumbo (Whole30)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 yellow or white onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 cups cubed chicken thighs, about 2 pounds total
- 12 ounces fully cooked andouille sausage, sliced
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces okra, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- In the base of your Instant Pot, warm the oil on the sauté setting.
- Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper; season with salt and pepper and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.
- Add in the cayenne, thyme, Creole seasoning, garlic, tomato paste and bay leaf and sauté for another minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the chicken broth with 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder. Whisk until arrowroot has dissolved. Pour into the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Stir in the remaining chicken broth.
- Add in the chicken and andouille sausage.
- Close the lid of your Instant Pot and set the valve to “sealing.” Hit the “manual” button and set to 20 minutes on high pressure.
- When the time is up, as you quick release the steam be careful not to scald yourself. I use a towel and tongs to quick release the steam before opening the lid. When the steam is released, remove lid and stir. Taste for salt and pepper and add a dash of hot sauce if you prefer.
- Note: If you’d like to add the okra at this point, first add the sliced okra to a sheet pan and roast it in a 420 degree oven for 12 minutes or until slightly browned. Then add the crunchy okra on top of the bowls of gumbo.
- Serve with a scoop of steamed rice or cauliflower rice and sliced green onions.
Loved this! We got home from a trip this morning, and I had Instacart bring me ingredients. This was a perfect lunch! Yum. I think the creole mix I used must be spicy already, so next time I will take down the cayenne a little. My instacart shopper brought me chicken breasts instead of thighs, and that worked just fine—I gave it a few minutes less in the Instant Pot. Really loved this—so quick and easy.
Love this so much!!!
This is perfect! I love to add a bit of thyme to mine, and voila– a great finish!