Leftover Chicken Gumbo: A Big Easy Hack for Weeknight Comfort

Leftovers don’t always inspire greatness—but every once in a while, they spark something deliciously unplanned. This Leftover Chicken Gumbo is exactly that kind of move: a bold, Louisiana-inspired comfort play that starts with half a roast chicken sitting in your fridge and ends with a pot of pure, slow-simmered satisfaction. This isn’t a “weekend project” gumbo. It’s the version you make on a Tuesday night when you want big flavor without the ceremony. And thanks to a dark roux, a proper trinity, and a little Cajun seasoning magic, it tastes like something you’d swear simmered all day. Let’s break down this leftover chicken gumbo.

Ingredients

½ cup trinity + carrot (onion, celery, bell pepper + carrot for extra sweetness)
Leftover roast chicken, hand-torn
Andouille sausage, sliced ¼"
1 lb shrimp
1 quart chicken stock
Tony Chachere’s seasoning
Tabasco
Cooked rice
Flour
Butter

How to Make This Leftover Chicken Gumbo

1. Brown the Andouille

Start with the andouille. Browning it gives you that smoky, rendered base layer that makes gumbo sing. Pull the sausage and give the shrimp a quick sauté—just enough color to wake them up. They’ll finish cooking later.

2. Make a Proper Roux

Roux is the backbone of gumbo, and there are no shortcuts. Use equal parts flour and butter and stir over medium-low heat until it reaches a deep chocolate brown. You’ve got two routes here:

The traditional, “pour yourself a beverage and stir for an hour” method
The more realistic, “at least 30 minutes until you can’t take it anymore” method

Either way, the payoff is the same: deep, nutty, unmistakably Cajun flavor.

3. Build the Base

Add the trinity + carrot and let the vegetables soften in the roux. This step perfumes your kitchen instantly—always a good sign. Pour in your chicken stock and season with Tony’s, a few dashes of Tabasco, and your preferred level of heat. Simmer for about an hour, tasting along the way and adjusting the thickness as needed.

4. Add the Chicken and Sausage

Start with the leftover dark meat so it can break down and enrich the broth. Follow with the breast meat and your browned andouille. The pot should be smelling incredible at this point.

5. Finish with the Shrimp

Add the half-cooked shrimp, cover, and give them just a few minutes to finish in the hot broth. Don’t overdo it—shrimp go from perfect to rubbery fast.

6. Let It Rest

Turn off the heat and let the leftover chicken gumbo sit for 20 minutes. This rest period is essential; it’s when everything marries into that deep, slow-cooked flavor you want from a proper gumbo. Serve over rice. Hit it with extra hot sauce. Take a moment to appreciate what you just pulled off with leftovers: Leftover chicken gumbo.

Why This Gumbo Works

This isn’t a purist’s gumbo—but it’s absolutely a flavor-first gumbo. Using leftover roast chicken speeds things up, and making a real roux ensures you still get that signature depth that makes Louisiana cooking so legendary. It’s the perfect hybrid: restaurant-level comfort built from whatever’s already in your fridge. If you want, I can also create:

an Ali Khan Eats–style headline + subhead
SEO keywords/meta description
a shorter recipe card you can drop into your CMS
a matching illustration prompt in your established visual style

Just tell me what you want next!

Ali Khan Eats: Slow-Cooked Suadero Tacos

Hey taco lovers — Ali Khan here, ready to take you on a flavorful trip with one of my favorite taco builds: slow-cooked suadero tacos inspired by Rick Bayless’s “Crisped, Slow-Cooked Beef Tacos” recipe (from his site) (Rick Bayless) but with a twist: using actual suadero from your local carnicería. Let’s dive in.

Why Suadero? What the heck is it?

If you’ve never heard of suadero, you’re not alone — it’s one of those cuts that street-taco stands in Mexico City do so right.

Suadero (in Mexican cuisine) is a thin cut of beef from the “intermediate part of the cow between the belly and the leg.” (Wikipedia)
It’s prized for its smooth texture (less obvious grain) and for cooking methods that render flavour through slow braising or confit, then crisping. (MasterClass)
Chef Rick Bayless’s version uses brisket (flat) as a proxy because suadero isn’t always easy to source in the U.S. He writes: “Since many of the cuts used by the pros in Mexico aren’t easily available in States-side grocery stores, I’m calling for brisket here…” (Rick Bayless)

What we’re doing

We're going to adapt Bayless’s method — slow-cooking in fat (or some inspired rendering) + crisping — but apply it to suadero, and tailor for a home slow cooker setup. This will give you melt-in-your-mouth tender suadero that gets crisp edges and taco-ready flavor.

Ingredients (makes about 12 tacos)

~2 lbs suadero (ask your carnicería for suadero de res)
2 cups fresh-rendered pork lard (or a mix of lard + beef fat if you prefer)
Salt, about 2 tsp (or to taste)
Optional: ½ cup Mexican chorizo (casing removed) for extra fat & flavour, if you’re feeling indulgent (just like Bayless suggests) (Rick Bayless)
~12 warm corn tortillas
~½ cup chopped white onion + chopped cilantro
A couple limes, cut into wedges
~¾ cup salsa of your choice (rickbayless recommends his Árbol-Tomatillo Salsa) (Rick Bayless)

Slow Cooker suadero after cooking in Slow cooker

Notes for sourcing suadero:

Go to a Mexican-oriented butcher / carnicería and ask for “suadero de res” or simply “suadero.” Because sometimes it’s labeled differently, mention “the cut we use for tacos de suadero” and point at a photo if needed.
If you can’t find true suadero, you could use brisket flat (as Bayless suggests) — but your texture will shift slightly.
Look for nice marbling and a cut that’s not overly lean — the fat will help with flavour and crisping.

Step-by-Step Method

Prep the meat: Cut the suadero into roughly 2-inch cubes (or large chunks).
Render the lard/fat in slow cooker: Place your lard (2 cups) in the slow cooker and melt it (you can set on high for a few minutes until the fat is fully liquid). Sprinkle in ~2 tsp salt.
Add meat (and chorizo if using): Nestle the suadero pieces (and chorizo if you opted for it) into the fat. Cover and cook on HIGH for ~4 hours, until the meat is very tender. (This is exactly the timing Bayless uses with brisket for his version.) (Rick Bayless)
Once tender, remove and chop: Take the meat out (let excess fat drip off) and place on a cutting board. Chop into pieces a little smaller than ½-inch — some will fall apart, which is fine and even desirable.
Crisp the meat: Scoop a couple of tablespoons of the reserved fat from the slow cooker into a large skillet (12-inch if you have it). Heat over medium to medium-high. When hot, add the chopped suadero and turn every ~15 seconds or so until richly browned and crispy — about 2 minutes or until you see those golden edges. (Rick Bayless)
Warm tortillas: While the meat crisps, warm your corn tortillas (a comal, skillet, or even microwave wrapped in a towel works).
Build your tacos: Divide the crispy suadero among the tortillas. Top with chopped onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and your salsa. Serve immediately.

Tips & Tweaks from Ali Khan

Fat ratio is important: Because suadero is thinner and leaner than some cuts, making sure you cook it in fat (or with enough fat supporting it) helps ensure that melt-in-your-mouth texture and flavor infusion.
Crisp those edges: That final skillet step is what gives the bite-friendly, slightly crunchy contrast to the tender interior. Don’t skip it.
Salsa matters: A bright, acidic salsa (think tomatillo+árbol chile) cuts through the richness beautifully.
Tortilla quality: Use good fresh corn tortillas. If they taste like cardboard, your taco will suffer. Warm them just before serving.
Make-ahead trick: You could do the slow-cook step ahead of time (even the day before), refrigerate the fat + meat, then crisp right before serving. That makes taco time easier.
Serving size: ~12 tacos from ~2 lbs meat is a good ballpark. If you expect hungry guests, maybe bump up to 3 lbs.
Leftovers? Use them for taco night redux: crisp again and serve for easy weekday tacos.

Why this works

By following Bayless’s structure but using authentic suadero, you get the best of both worlds: home-friendly method + Mexican street-taco authenticity. The confit-style slow cook breaks down connective tissue and infuses the meat with richness; the final crisp gives texture; the fresh toppings and warm tortilla bring freshness and balance.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been craving tacos that hit harder than typical grilled carne asada, these slow-cooked suadero tacos will become a go-to. They’re rich, flavourful, built for texture contrast, and relatively straightforward once you have the meat. Go check your local carnicería, ask for suadero, pick up some good tortillas, and let’s show those weekday tacos some love. Catch you next time with another taco adventure — and of course, feel free to drop back and let me know how yours turned out or any tweaks you made. ¡Buen provecho! — Ali Khan

Austin Thanksgiving: How to Build the Perfect Hybrid Holiday Feast

Thanksgiving hits best when it's served at home. But the work one has to put in for the meal takes days of prep. My solution? The Hybrid Thanksgiving. The idea? A meal that’s still homey and homemade, but with a little help from the pros. By pre-ordering a few dishes from some of Austin’s best restaurants, you can create a Thanksgiving dinner that’s uniquely Austin — smoky, soulful, and stress-free. If you’ve ever dreamed of a Thanksgiving table where the turkey tastes like barbecue and dessert feels like a pastry chef’s daydream, this guide is for you. Here’s how to pull off the perfect Austin Thanksgiving with four pre-orders. Keep mind this is a Hybrid Thanksgiving, so this isn't the whole meal. You will have to round out the rest of the menu yourself. Might I suggest a salad? And certainly keep it real with a green bean casserole.

🦃 1. Mum Foods — Whole Smoked Turkey or Turkey Breast

The Vitals: the spot: Mum Foods 5811 Manor Rd. Austin TX 78723 I'm the first person to say Thanksgiving turkey is totally overrated. The amount of work you put in so that the turkey is cooked on time and not dry boggles the mind. Plus when you add up the cost of a large organic or Heritage Turkey, you could just buy a Prime Rib. But turkey is tradition and Mum Foods has you covered. Known for their BBQ-meets-Jewish-deli fusion, Mum Foods smokes up a whole turkey (or a smoked turkey breast) that might just outshine Grandma’s oven-roasted bird. As with all their smoked meats, the turkey lounges in post oak till it is perfectly cooked. Turkey is the biggest sleeper in Texas BBQ and there is no reason not to let the BBQ pros handle this one for you. Pro tip: Reheat gently, low and slow per Mum's instructions and serve with a drizzle of melted butter or tallow. It’s the Austin twist your Thanksgiving deserves.

Best Food Austin Thanksgiving 2025 Crawfish Dressing Parish Barbecue

🌾 2. Parish Barbecue — Crawfish Dressing

The Vitals: the spot: Parish Barbecue 3220 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78723 Looking to spice things up this Thanksgiving in Austin? Parish Barbecue’s crawfish dressing takes a Southern classic and gives it a Cajun kick. Think cornbread stuffing meets Gulf Coast flavor: crawfish, herbs, and a surprising jolt of umami. It’s rich, savory, and a perfect match for smoked turkey. Pair it with Mum Foods’ turkey for a one-two punch that says Austin BBQ all the way.

🫔 3. La Santa Barbacha — Tamales

The Vitals: the spot: La Santa Barbacha 2806 Manor Road Austin TX 78722 In recent years a handful of celebrated Mexican eateries in Austin have taken to offering tamales around holiday time. La Santa Barbacha’s tamales are my pick for your Austin Thanksgiving table. These handmade tamales — stuffed with rich, slow-cooked barbacoa — honor a time-honored family tradition that became the blueprint for La Santa Barbacha's success. They’re easy to reheat too - a steamer basket works perfect. Serve them as an appetizer, side dish and of course: Thanksgiving leftovers. When it comes to Austin and Thanksgiving, tamales go hand in hand.

🥧 4. Rockman Bakery — Brown Sugar Meringue Dulce Pumpkin Pie

The Vitals: the spot: Rockman Bakery 2400 E Cesar Chavez St Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 No Thanksgiving feast — Austin or otherwise — is complete without pumpkin pie. But Rockman Bakery takes it up a notch with their Brown Sugar Meringue Dulce Pumpkin Pie. This is not your average pumpkin pie. The dulce de leche base adds creamy caramel notes, while the brown sugar meringue topping brings a toasty, cloud-like finish. It’s indulgent, modern, and totally Austin. Serve it chilled, and be prepared for your guests to ask where you got it. It's pricey at $40 but if there is anyone worth splurging on, it is your family.

🍽️ Pulling Together Your Austin Thanksgiving Feast

Here’s how to turn these pre-orders into a cohesive Austin Thanksgiving dinner at home:

Mum Foods smoked turkey — the smoky centerpiece.
Parish Barbecue crawfish dressing — a Cajun-Southern twist.
La Santa Barbacha tamales — a nod to Austin’s Mexican food scene.
Rockman Bakery pumpkin pie — the sweet finale.

Reheat, plate, pour yourself a glass of something festive, and take a bow — because this is how Austin does Thanksgiving. Less time in the kitchen. More time with family. And flavors of best Austin restaurants in the comfort of your home. Happy Austin Thanksgiving!! Eat well, give thanks, and remember — a little outsourcing goes a long way.