Slow-Cooker Freezer-Pack Gumbo
This shortcut gumbo eliminates the tricky step of cooking a roux for thickener. Instead, a small amount of rice cooked low and slow gives the stew just the right amount of body. With a bag of prepped ingredients in your freezer ready to go, you can serve this crowd-favorite even on a weeknight.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 8 hr (plus freezing and overnight defrosting)
- Active: 15 min
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces
One 16-ounce bag frozen sliced okra
1/4 cup long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hot sauce and crusty bread, for serving
Directions
- Layer the chicken, sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, okra, rice, and Cajun seasoning into a large resealable plastic bag. Pour the diced tomatoes over the ingredients in the bag. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Squeeze out the air from the bag and seal. Freeze until ready to use, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before cooking.
- Pour the contents of the bag into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add 1 cup water. Cook on low until the chicken is tender and the flavors meld, 6 to 8 hours. Season with salt. Serve with hot sauce and bread.
