Introduction: Poor Man's Creamy Gumbo

This dish is something that is inexpensive to put together and you can add various vegetables on top of or instead of what I use.This meal will feed 6-8 people, takes about 20 minutes to cook and costs under $25 to make (less if you already have some rice in the pantry). Surprisingly filling and loved by everyone I have ever fed with it! This is something any beginner with some basic cooking knowledge can make and is a great meal to make in a pinch or if you just want something home made you can take for lunch the next day.

Step 1: Ingredients

You will need:
1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper
White Rice (you can use Brown Rice too)
2 blocks of cream cheese (8 oz each)
2 cans of cream of chicken
1 can of cream of mushroom
1 package of chicken breast cutlets (I like these because they have less visible fat but any chicken breasts will work)
Olive Oil (or Vegetable oil)
1 can of sweet corn
1 can of pinto beans



 

Step 2:

Cut up Chicken into half inch cubes

Step 3:

Cook chicken in a frying pan with a quarter size amount of Olive Oil over medium.

Add Garlic Powder and a pinch of salt and pepper.

You will know the chicken is fully cooked when it turns white all the way through and slightly golden brown on the outside.

Step 4:

Put Chicken aside for now. 

This is a good time to start cooking your "5 minute rice". Follow the directions provided by the rice you bought with this.
 

Step 5:

In a large pot or a large frying pan, add 2 cans of cream of chicken and 1 can of cream of mushroom. You can use a little bit of water in the can to get most of the soup out. Stir and cook over medium-low. 

If it starts to boil turn the heat down to avoid splatter

Step 6:

Rinse pinto beans by using the lid of the can to drain liquid then filling the can with water and re-draining.

Add the pinto beans to your pot.

Do the same with the sweet corn as you did with the pinto beans.

I like to add one can of water at this point just to help thin everything out.

Step 7:

Add the chicken you put aside into your pot.
Should look like the picture posted above at this point

Step 8:

Add both blocks of cream cheese.
Continually stir until the cream cheese is melted.
You can speed this along if you wish by first heating the cream cheese up in the microwave for 20-30 seconds (warning! remember to remove the tin foil wrapping from the cream cheese before doing this as it will spark).
 

Step 9:

Serve up rice and add your gumbo to the top!
Enjoy and remember to feel free to make this your own by adding different items next time