Easy-to-Make Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

JambalayaPhoto byM Henderson

Although relatively easy to prepare, jambalaya can sometimes suffer from undercooked rice and/or overcooked meat. Cooking the rice and meat separately, mixing them together, and calling it jambalaya, feels like cheating.

In this jambalaya recipe, we cook the meat first, remove it, and then get our rice going. After the rice boils and cooks for a few minutes, the meat is returned to the pot to finish cooking along with the rice.

The result is a perfect texture and tremendously flavorful dish.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 links smoked pork (or turkey) sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced thin
• 2 cups rice
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 4 cups chicken broth, or water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
2. Season with Creole seasoning, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
3. Heat oil in a cast iron or stainless steel Dutch oven or stew pot.
4. Add chicken to the pot, stir well, and let brown slightly. Lower the flame to medium-low, cover the pot, and let cook for about 15 minutes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the pot, leaving behind as much of the renderings as possible. Set chicken aside.
6. Add sliced sausage to the jambalaya pot and cook, stirring until lightly browned. Remove from pot and reserve with chicken.
7. Add vegetables to the pot one at a time and stir well. Start with garlic, onions, bell peppers, and end with celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until wilted and starting to brown.
8. Add rice and stir well. Stir fry rice for about 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Add chicken broth. Stir.
10. Heat to boiling, then lower heat to medium. Cover the pot and let cook until rice is near tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. Return chicken and sausage to pot, season with salt and black pepper, and stir well.
12. Cover and let cook over low heat for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
13. Garnish with sliced green onions.
14. Serves 6

Jambalaya is the perfect stand-alone dish for feeding a crowd. It also goes great with a side of beans and a green salad.