Jambalaya

A flavorful one-pot rice dish from Louisiana that combines chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, and rice with Creole seasoning. Easy to make and a guaranteed family favorite.

Source: Sip and Feast by James Delmage Cuisine: Creole / Cajun

Ingredient Notes

• The Trinity. Green bell pepper, celery, and onion — the base of Cajun and Creole cooking.
• Chicken. Boneless skinless chicken thighs have better flavor and are more economical than breasts.
• Andouille. Smoked sausage adds great flavor. Pork or chicken andouille both work. Substitutes: chorizo, kielbasa, or hot dogs.
• Shrimp. U26 size used here, but any size works.
• Creole seasoning. Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama. You can also make your own Cajun spice blend for sodium control.
• Tomato sauce. Canned tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. The tomatoes make this Creole, not Cajun.
• Chicken stock. Homemade or made from a low-sodium chicken base.
• Garnish. Parsley and/or green onion for freshness at the end.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp Creole seasoning (or Cajun seasoning)
• 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¾ tsp salt (see notes)
• 2 large bay leaves
• 14 oz tomato sauce
• 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1½ cups long-grain white rice
• 3 green onions, minced
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing

For the Shrimp

• ½ lb large shrimp
• 2 tsp Creole seasoning (or Cajun seasoning)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Make the Jambalaya

1. Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels and season with 1 tbsp of Creole seasoning.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat with the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. Add the andouille and cook a few minutes until browned. Remove to the same plate as the chicken and tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Add the diced onion, peppers, and celery with a pinch of salt. Sauté until soft, about 12–15 minutes. If the pot starts to burn, add a few ounces of water and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, until fragrant.
6. Add the rice and mix well to coat each kernel with the oil. Return the sausage and chicken to the pot. Add the bay leaves, oregano, salt, tomato sauce, and chicken stock. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.
7. Once boiling, turn heat to low. Make sure nothing is sticking, then cover with a lid. Cook the rice until just tender (not mushy), about 25 minutes. At the halfway point, quickly remove the lid and gently stir the rice once to prevent sticking.

Note: Over-stirring releases starch and makes the jambalaya gummy. One gentle stir at the halfway point is enough.

Cook the Shrimp

1. Season the shrimp with 2 tsp Creole seasoning.
2. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the shrimp and cook ~1 minute per side, until almost cooked through. Remove to a plate and tent with foil.

Finish

1. Once the rice is tender, uncover the pot and add the shrimp.
2. Fluff the rice with a fork. Top with green onion and parsley. Serve immediately.

Top Tips

• Oven method. To prevent rice from sticking, cook covered in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes. Check the rice — if still firm, return to the oven and check every 5 minutes.
• Stirring. Don't over-stir or the rice gets mushy and gelatinous. One gentle stir at the halfway point is plenty. Some sticking is fine.
• Seasoning sodium. Store-bought Creole/Cajun seasonings are high in sodium. If using one, omit the additional salt. If using a homemade or low-sodium blend, add ¾ tsp salt.
• Shrimp. Sautéing separately gives better texture than cooking with the rice. Purists can fold raw shrimp into the jambalaya a few minutes before it's done — the heat from the rice will cook them.

Notes

• The rice can stick if heat is too high, even with a halfway stir. The oven method (325°F, lid on, 20 minutes) helps.
• Sodium: With Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama, omit extra salt. With a homemade or low-sodium spice mix, add ¾–1 tsp salt.
• Leftovers: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	600 kcal
Carbohydrates	39.3 g
Protein	35.5 g
Fat	34.4 g
Saturated Fat	9.1 g
Cholesterol	120 mg
Sodium	1800 mg
Potassium	1130 mg
Fiber	4.8 g
Sugar	12.5 g
Calcium	85 mg
Iron	5 mg