Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Skewers

Gumbo is a familiar dish in Cajun cuisine. Traditionally, it’s made with seafood and I’ve made a boatload of Seafood Gumbo in my lifetime.. At Thanksgiving, I often use leftover turkey for Turkey and Sausage Gumbo. Taking inspiration from the flavors of gumbo, I came up with a way to cook it on the grill in the form of Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Skewers.

I follow the tradition and start my gumbo pot off with onions, bell peppers and celery, also called the Trinity.  For the skewered version, I sacrificed celery simply because I don’t care to eat celery in stalks. I use a ton of it in cooking but it’s diced up and cooked tender. I wasn’t sure chargrilling would give me the texture I wanted, so celery missed the boat.  However, sweet bell peppers and onions are well represented on the skewers.

Next, gumbo must have okra.  In fact, gumbo is the African word for okra. We love okra and will eat it anyway you throw it at us.  Okra is featured front and center on the skewers.

I’ve never made a pot of gumbo that didn’t have lots of tomatoes.  Some scoff at the addition of tomatoes because they feel that turns the cuisine more toward a Creole direction than traditional Cajun.  Well, it’s my kitchen.  I add tomatoes because we love tomatoes and prefer them in gumbo. For that reason, tomatoes made it on the skewers, too.

Food safety is critically important when cooking poultry. It must be cooked completely.  I wrestled with how to best accomplish thoroughly cooking chicken and not burning vegetables to a crisp. For that reason, I thought it best to cook chicken separate from vegetables.  I threaded chicken and sausage together on skewers and okra, tomatoes, onions and peppers on different skewers. Chicken requires a longer cook time and I was able to make sure it was completely cooked through. The vegetables got a nice char but were done several minutes before the chicken cooked through. In  hind sight, I made the right decision.

To add a little Cajun flavor to chicken and sausage, I made a Cajun inspired marinade. It flavored the chicken and kept it moist.

The dish is a winner. Sometimes, I get it right.

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Skewers

yield: 4 to 6 servings

The flavors of chicken and sausage gumbo grilled on skewers and served over rice.  Chicken and sausage marinates in a Cajun inspired marinade prior to cooking. Serve over a bed of Basmati rice. I used chicken thighs because we prefer dark meat. If you substitute chicken breast, the cook time will be less. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before using.

prepare  the marinade:

1/2 cup lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar (I used lime juice)

1 cup cooking oil

2 tablespoons honey or sugar (I used honey)

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (or use your favorite blend)

Mix all ingredients in gallon disposable storage bag.

1 1/2 pounds chicken thigh meat, cut into bite size pieces (I deboned 4 chicken thighs)

1/2 pounds Conecuh sausage   cut into one inch pieces (or your favorite smoked sausage)

Add chicken and sausage to marinade. Store in refrigerator for at least two hours before cooking. When ready to cook, drain and discard marinade.

prepare vegetables:

1/2 pound whole okra pods

1 to  2 cups whole cherry tomatoes

3 to 4 sweet baby bell peppers, membranes and seeds removed, cut into strips

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and cut into eighths

cooking oil for drizzling

salt and pepper for sprinkling

Place vegetables in a large bowl.  Drizzle with cooking oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Prepare the skewers:

Thread chicken and sausage on skewers together. Set aside.

Thread vegetables on skewers separate from chicken and sausage.

Heat grill to medium high.  When heated, place skewers directly on the grates.

Cook chicken and sausage for 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking 5 minutes longer or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Cook vegetables for about 2 minutes on one side until slightly charred. Flip and do the same with the other side.

Serve over a bed of cooked Basmati rice.

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Skewers

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Skewers
• yield: 4 to 6 servings
• The flavors of chicken and sausage gumbo grilled on skewers and served over rice. Chicken and sausage marinates in a Cajun inspired marinade prior to cooking. Serve over a bed of Basmati rice. I used chicken thighs because we prefer dark meat. If you substitute chicken breast the cook time will be less. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before using.
• prepare the marinade:
• 1/2 cup lemon juice lime juice or vinegar (I used lime juice)
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons honey or sugar I used honey
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning or use your favorite blend
• Mix all ingredients in gallon disposable storage bag.
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken thigh meat cut into bite size pieces (I deboned 4 chicken thighs)
• 1/2 pounds Conecuh sausage cut into one inch pieces or your favorite smoked sausage
• Add chicken and sausage to marinade. Store in refrigerator for at least two hours before cooking. When ready to cook drain and discard marinade.
• prepare vegetables:
• 1/2 pound whole okra pods
• 1 to 2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
• 3 to 4 sweet baby bell peppers membranes and seeds removed, cut into strips
• 1 medium sweet onion peeled and cut into eighths
• cooking oil for drizzling
• salt and pepper for sprinkling

Instructions

• Place vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with cooking oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the skewers:
• Thread chicken and sausage on skewers together. Set aside.
• Thread vegetables on skewers separate from chicken and sausage.
• Heat grill to medium high. When heated, place skewers directly on the grates.
• Cook chicken and sausage for 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking 5 minutes longer or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
• Cook vegetables for about 2 minutes on one side until slightly charred. Flip and do the same with the other side.
• Serve over a bed of cooked Basmati rice.

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