Description
A flavorful and hearty Cajun dish, Jambalaya features seared andouille sausage, tender chicken, aromatic vegetables, and succulent shrimp cooked with rice in a spicy tomato and herb blend. This one-pot meal is perfect for a satisfying dinner with a touch of southern Louisiana flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seafood
- 8 ounces andouille sausage cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
Vegetables
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper seeds removed, diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeds removed, diced
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- freshly chopped green onion Optional garnish
Pantry and Spices
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 14 ounces can crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup white rice uncooked long or short grain – not quick cooking rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat and Sear: Heat oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add the cut sausage and chicken pieces, and fry until lightly seared, about 5 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the diced onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and chopped celery to the pot. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Tomatoes and Spices: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add smoked paprika, salt, cumin, oregano, basil, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine all flavors.
- Add Rice and Broth: Stir in the uncooked white rice and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and simmer, stirring every few minutes, until the rice is just cooked, approximately 20 minutes.
- Add Shrimp and Finish Cooking: Stir in the peeled and deveined shrimp, cover again, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat, garnish with freshly chopped green onions if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
- Store leftover jambalaya in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For a spicier version, increase the cayenne pepper or add hot sauce to taste.
- Use homemade chicken broth for richer flavor or low-sodium broth to control salt content.
- If you don't have andouille sausage, smoked sausage or kielbasa can be a good substitute.
- Stirring occasionally while simmering prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- This dish tastes even better the next day after flavors have melded.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg
