My husband always talks longingly about his Aunt Helen Rose's Chicken Gumbo.
I mentioned to her that I wished I could make her famous dish, but it takes too long, so she sent me this quick version, which my husband loves.
Use fresh okra if you can, for texture.
And since the dish improves with age, make extra to freeze for another quick dinner.
Makes two servings
Vegetable oil spray
3/4 pound skinless chicken breast with bones, cut into several pieces
1/4 pound okra, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen chopped/diced onion
1 cup frozen diced green bell pepper
1 celery stalk, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoons flour
21/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup frozen lima beans
4 large cooked shelled shrimp (1/4 pound)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Heat a large nonstick sauce pan over medium heat and spray with vegetable spray. Brown chicken on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Add okra, onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the pan. Saute 3 minutes. Remove vegetables and set aside.
3. Add oil, then flour. Blend well and cook slowly until flour is a rich brown color. Add water, little by little, stirring to remove any lumps. Bring to a simmer.
4. Add cayenne and tomatoes and return vegetables to the pan. Mix well and add lima beans and chicken. Cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 165 degrees.
5. Add shrimp, cover, and remove from heat to warm shrimp (meanwhile, make rice to serve with the gumbo). Add salt and pepper to taste to the gumbo. Serve in soup bowls over rice.
Per serving: (without the rice) 454 calories, 46 grams protein, 39 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams fat, 167 milligrams cholesterol, 479 milligrams sodium, 9 grams dietary fiber.
Find more of Linda Gassenheimer's recipes at www.dinnerinminutes.com
