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Spice Up Your Taste Buds with a Spicy Gumbo Chili

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Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight.

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods

January is Soup Month. I’m not sure if you knew that or not. I thought I’d just let you know. This spicy jambalaya chili is because it’s National Soup Month. Some think chili isn’t a soup, but I say it is because it has a liquid base meaning broth of juice. Some people also say chili is just meant for beef, chicken, or pork. But this spicy Jambalaya chili is a different chili all together. Sort of like my seafood chili.

That’s a recipe that I want to revisit. I mean, chili can’t be all about just beef and the argument about beans or no beans. Chili is a spicy meat soup. Who says it HAS to be just beef, pork, and chicken? Why can’t the rest of the proteins come to the party and have a bowl of flavor?

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods

To truly appreciate this Spicy Gumbo Chili, I want to take a little time to talk about where these two iconic dishes came from. Gumbo, being a traditional Louisiana dish, combines French, African, and Spanish cuisines This hearty one-pot wonder was born out of the diverse cultures that shaped the region’s culinary heritage. Chili also brings together Spanish influence along with American Southwest ingredients like corn and beans. Yes, there’s an argument about the beans.

What is Gumbo?

With roots tracing back to the 18th century, gumbo is a soup or stew packed with sausage and chicken.  But there’s also seafood based versions like shrimp and crab gumbo.  With all the different variations, gumbo emerged as a practical and creative solution for cooking large quantities of rice, meat, and vegetables that were readily available. With its origins in West Africa, gumbo also draws inspiration from Spanish paella and French Provençal cooking techniques, gumbo quickly became a staple in Creole and Cajun households, each adding their own twist to the dish.

The West Africans used okra to thicken their version of this delicious dish. Cajuns used file powder which is dried sassafras. This gumbo is thickened with a roux which is a combination of butter and flour that’s cooked until a chocolate brown. It’s the French influence in this recipe. The roux provides a nutty goodness to the broth that enhances the flavor of this spicy gumbo chili.

What is chili?

Chili is known for its vibrant blend of spices and a hearty combination of meat and beans. I’m leaving the bean/no bean argument for another post. Chili has is deeply rooted in the history of the American Southwest. It’s believed that chili emerged in the early 1700s. The theory being that Spanish settlers planted chili peppers in the region. These Spanish immigrants incorporated indigenous cooking methods and ingredients, such as corn and beans, to create a satisfying and nourishing bowl of yum.

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods

Most say it’s a cowboy dish because over time, it evolved as cowboys and pioneers adapted the hearty and easy recipe to fit their nomadic lifestyles. These travelers had jerky, dried chili peppers, and maybe dried beans that would travel well in all kinds of weather and on long journeys. Chili is so rooted in our American cuisine that it’s at almost every potluck or family gathering.  There’s beef chili and ground beef chili, chicken chili, pork chili, and even turkey chili.  It’s so popular that there are hundreds of chili cook-offs across the country to celebrate the unique flavors and regional variations.

What is spicy gumbo chili?

Spicy Gumbo Chili is a scrumptious dish that gives a nod to both Cajun and Southwest cuisines. It’s a combination of the bold and vibrant flavors of gumbo joined together with the warm and comforting flavors of the Spanish inspired chili. This fusion of these two recipes creates a gumbo with its roux base and combines it with beans and the earthy flavors of chili. 

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods

Gumbo brings the roux to the party. It also brings seafood to the party, too. But the key element from gumbo is the roux. Most chili recipes do not have a thickening agent like a roux in there. Some might add some masa or almond flour to thicken soup, but usually not. I wanted that silky smooth roux-based broth in this spicy gumbo chili.

From chili I have cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Very earthy and delicious flavors to pair with the gumbo and Cajun seasoning. There’s also a little tomato juice and crushed tomatoes in there which I always put in my chili. And finally, there’s beans in this chili. I used a combination of black beans and kidney beans. Use whatever beans you want in your chili.

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods

How do you make spicy gumbo chili?

It all starts with the roux. For this chili I wanted a dark caramel colored roux. It would darken the base of the chili and add a nutty and rich flavor. When the roux is the perfect dark brown, I stirred in the Holy Trinity and the garlic. The Holy Trinity is base of most if not all the Cajun recipes. At least the ones I know of.

Many cuisines start recipes with a base of vegetables. The Holy Trinity consists of equal parts of onion, celery, and bell pepper. In French cooking it’s the mirepoix with a ratio of one parts celery and carrot (instead of bell pepper) to 2 parts onion. Latin cuisine has a sofrito, but that includes garlic and tomatoes.  You can use sofrito to make this Caribbean rice to serve with this spicy gumbo chili.  

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods

When the onions started to soften, I added in everything but the beans, shrimp, and green onions. Once the mixture came to a boil and I let it simmer for at least 45 minutes. The base thickened nicely, and the flavor was rich and completely delicious. It is full of smoky flavor of chili with a silky smooth texture of gumbo.

At this point, I stirred in the beans. I didn’t want to add them too early because they could easily break down if they’re over cooked. You really just want the beans to heat through which took about 10 more minutes of cooking time. The shrimp goes in next. They don’t take very long to cook. You don’t want to overcook them either. They should just start to turn onto a C when they’re cooked through. Another 10 minutes and you’re almost ready to serve.

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods

I served mine over some rice just like I would a gumbo. I wouldn’t serve chili over rice, but this is spicy gumbo chili! It’s a little different. You can try serving it over some dirty rice for a more Cajun flair.  For a little color and some added kick, I garnished mine with some sliced green onions. I usually put diced onions on my chili, so green onions on this spicy gumbo chili was the perfect compromise.

This is now my new favorite chili. Props to the hubs and his delicious chili, but this one is a whole other level. The chili spices with the gumbo seasoning and rich roux-based broth makes this spicy gumbo chili totally rich, delicious, and completely warms you from the inside out. You can bet I will be making this recipe several times to get me through the cold winter. And since it has healthy shrimp, vegetables, and fiber filled beans, I can eat it guilt free, too!

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight. #SpicyGumboChili #GumboRecipe #GourmentChili #ChiliRecipes #SpicyFoods
Yield: 8

Spicy Gumbo Chili

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Seeking an explosion of flavors? Look no further than this fiery Spicy Gumbo Chili recipe. Packed with a medley of spices and hearty ingredients, this chili will make your taste buds dance with delight.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups diced onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced bell pepper
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 29 ounces red beans (or kidney beans, Pinto beans, black-eyed peas)
  • 1/2 pound peeled and cleaned shrimp
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Instructions

    1. Combine the butter and flour in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the roux, stirring occasionally, until it turns a light brown color. Stir frequently and then constantly until the roux is a chocolate brown color.
    2. Stir in the onions, celery, bell pepper, and onion and sauté the vegetables for 5 to 7 minutes until they begin to soften. Then stir in the spices, broth, crushed tomatoes, and tomato juice. Bring to a boil then simmer for 45 to 50 minutes. The broth will be thick and silky and a rich dark red color.
    3. Add the beans (black, red, pinto, whichever kind you want) and simmer an additional 10 minutes until the beans heat through. Stir in the shrimp and cook an additional 10 minutes or until the shrimp forms a C. That means they’re perfectly cooked through and you’re ready to eat!
    4. Ladle the spicy gumbo chili over some rice and garnish with the sliced green onions before serving.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 329Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 132mgSodium 1892mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 11gSugar 9gProtein 26g

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