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So if there was ever a Monday meal you needed to make, this is it.

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Typically I think a lot of people feel like salads and lighter foods need to be Monday food, but I am just SO not one of those people. I love salad, but honestly today is not a lettuce in a bowl with some cheese kind of day. Nope, today is a grits with some butter and a quick, veggie packed, gumbo kind of day.

It’s total health food and you know it.

Hello, don’t you see all those pretty red peppers in there? And I mean fresh sweet corn mixed into the whole grainy (buttery) grits? See, healthiness in a bowl. And I am being serious here.

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

On a different note, again in all seriousness, I think I have convinced my dad to turn his land into a smaller farm. Complete with horses, cows, goats and chickens. I can see it in his face, he SO wants to quit the day job and be a full on farmer. I am right there with him….

It’s ok if you think I am crazy, re-reading this myself I am thinking the same thing, but with our chickens now laying eggs, I have this huge desire to add onto our little family of farm animals. I am telling you, I was totally meant for this whole farm life thing. Of course, just don’t ask me to clean the poop. That’s a job for the people who do not handle everyone’s food.

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

For now, I will have to be happy with our chickens. Which I totally am. I head down every morning before I hike to feed them and check for eggs. Their eggs are still pretty small right now, but their yolks are the prettiest shade of yellow. Honestly, I have not seen prettier yolks. They may be small, but they sure are cute. Over time the eggs should become larger and actually, only two of the chickens have started laying so hopefully we’ll be getting more than two eggs a day here pretty soon.

Thus far, I have only fried them. I am leaving the yolks extra runny because if you ask me, there is nothing better than a perfectly runny yolk. Especially when the eggs are fresh from your back yard and not even an hour old. I love the fact that we raised those chicken from day two of their lives and have gotten to watch them grow. It’s a pretty cool thing.

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

If I would have thought of it, I so would have put a fried egg on top of this gumbo. Next time I am totally doing that. Although, I am currently putting fried eggs on everything right now.

Egg or no egg though, this quick gumbo is DELICIOUS. It’s everything you crave and then some. Now, I have a gumbo recipe that I love and it will, hands down, always be my very favorite gumbo recipe, BUT that recipe requires me to sit in front of the stove for at least thirty minutes and just whisk. Just whisk and whisk without taking an eye off the pot. It sounds worse than it actually is, but on most given days I just do not have the time to do this.

So, I made a quick version. It’s still completely delicious, but in its own way. It’s unique, which I think is a good thing. Since the gumbo was a little different, I figured it needed a different side, and since gumbo is oh so southern, grits immediately came to mind.

Oh how I love grits you guys.

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

I am totally an old soul, and grits are entirely my thing. Now I don’t really know the difference between grits and polenta, to me they honestly are one and the same (is it texture or types of corn used? Does anyone know? I would really love to find out). Today I made real grits though. I cook polenta all the time (and have some more coming your way soon), so grits was a nice switch-up. But um, they really do taste like polenta.

And they also totally transform this dinner into something so special – as does the butter.

Once you have the gumbo started, start in on the grits. The whole meal only takes about forty minutes, but you have to be cooking the gumbo while making the grits.

Ok, so now you’ve got those creamy grits, that you top um with the gumbo. That is a good meal, but… it could be better. How?

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter.-9

Smoky chilied brown butter. Oh yes, I went there… and on a Monday too. You are either loving me or hating me right now, but I am hoping the majority is leaning towards the nicer side of things. It’s browned butter done savory and it’s the perfect final touch to this meal.

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter.

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 544 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Gumbo

  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour use a gluten free blend if needed
  • 2 bell peppers diced (I used 1 red and 1 orange)
  • 1 clove garlic minced or grated
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen orka I used frozen
  • 1 ounce large can diced tomatoes 14, I like to use fire roasted
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon creole seasoning rounded
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if you do not want it too hot more if you do)
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4-6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 pound andouille sausage sliced + halved again into half circles (NO substitutions)
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs cut into smaller pieces
  • 1 tablespoons corn starch mixed with a 1/4 cup cold water

Grits

Chilled Brown Butter

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until the flour begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the garlic, onion, orka and bell peppers, cook until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, oregano, basil, creole seasoning, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cover pot and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the broth, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the gumbo. If a thicker consistency for your broth is desired, bring the gumbo to a boil and add the corn starch mixture. Simmer 1-2 minutes or until just slightly thickened. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve.
  • While the gumbo is cooking, prepare the grits. In a small pot, bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil. Slowly stir the grits into the boiling mixture. Stir continuously until the grits are well mixed. Let the pot return to a boil, cover and lower the heat to low, cook for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk if necessary. Once the grits are creamy, stir in the butter and grilled corn kernels. Season with salt and pepper.
  • To make the smoky chilied brown butter, heat a heavy-bottomed 10-12 inch skillet, add butter and melt over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam, and froth, and then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Stir in the smoked paprika and chili powder.
  • To serve, divide the grits among bowls. Top with gumbo, drizzle with butter. Garnish with basil if desired. Enjoy!
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Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits + Smoky Chilied Brown Butter | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits – trust me, you need to make this tonight.

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Comments

  1. Made this for dinner tonight, it was easy & awesome! I used shrimp instead of chicken & it turned out great. Definitely gonna make this again (& again). Thanks!

    Reply

  2. This gumbo is so fantastic! It has been the perfect fall comfort food this week. I used Trader Joe’s roasted corn, since fresh off the cob was hard to come by this late in the season. I’m sure fresh would have been better, but it was still delicious. I also had to go on a wild goose chase to track down fresh andouille…totally worth it. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  6. I’m all about a big bowl of something warm and comforting on Mondays! This looks like it would hit the spot! We’re hoping for chickens in the next year or two!

    Reply

  7. I want chickens so bad! But, we live in the “city” and we aren’t allowed. Boo hoo. Gumbo has been on my list to make for a while, but I have to say your version trumps any version I had in my head!

    Reply

  8. I could totally see you living it up with your fam on the farm. It’d be amazing to source all of your food from your backyard! This gumbo? Will.freaking.do!!

    Reply

  12. Grits, polenta, or cornmeal mush no matter what it is called I love it.
    I like this quick version of gumbo.
    Tieghan–I found the Delallo at a Cincinnati store called Jungle Jim’s.
    Now I’m ready to make that recipe–LOL.

    Reply

    1. Hey Sopiha, I do, but just make sure to cook the roux on the stove first and then add it to the crockpot along with the remaining ingredients.

      Hope you love it! 🙂

      Reply

  14. It all starts with the chicks…it’s a downward slide here on out, bring on the animals! We now have chicks, cows, pigs. It’s rewarding @ soooo much better for you & the animal (watch a documentary on feedlots if your not convinced) if we can do it on our small piece of land, anyone can. Oh also a motocross track, mustn’t forget the MX track! It’s the leverage to make sure all these chores are done ;). As always Will be making this! Yum

    Reply

    1. Haha! You totally get it! Seriously, I might be sending you an email about your little farm. So cool! 🙂

      THANKS!

      PS, the boys have already got the dirt bike track all laid out. Our neighbors hate us. Ha!

      Reply

      1. Right! We are slowly( not slow enough for us) being invaded by subdivisions. It sucks! People complain about the noise; soooo Very sorry, but we were here first…honestly it kinda sucks thou. Been lookin into Co, so Defiantly send me an email. We can absorb some knowledge from each other:)

        Reply