New Orleans

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from The Daring Gourmet

I have updated the recipe to show the hot sauce as optional. This has a decent heat level (too hot for Gayle) without any hot sauce, possibly due to the Creole seasoning. I used Tony Chachere’s. Just opening the can made my eyes water and I sneezed twice. You can change or remove any of the proteins, although the Andouille is very traditional. Some calamari would be a nice addition.

Next time: There is too much liquid for the rice. Increase the rice to 1½ cups . Also might be worth setting the cooked meat aside before adding the veg., then returning when the rice is added.

Chicken & Marinade

• 2TBS Creole seasoning, divided
• 1lb chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½lb Andouille sausage, sliced in ¼ inch slices
• 2TBS butter
• 8-12oz medium raw shrimp, deveined (optional: tails removed)
• 8oz raw calamari (optional)
  

Vegetables

• 1yellow onion, chopped
• 3cloves garlic, minced
• 1green bell pepper, diced
• 1-2stalks celery, diced

Jambalaya

• 1½cups (or more) white long grain rice
• 1(14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 0-2tsp hot sauce (optional)
• 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2cups chicken broth
• 2bay leaves
• ¾tsp salt
• 4green onions, thinly sliced

Marinate Chicken: Place the chicken in a bowl with 1 TBS of the Creole seasoning, mix well and set aside while you prep the vegetables.

Prep the vegetables: Chop & mince all of the vegetables as required. Set up the mise en place for the other ingredients.

Saute Chicken, Sausage & Vegetables: Heat the butter in a large straight sided skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on all sides.
Add the Andouille sausage and cook for another 3 minutes or so until the sausage begins to brown. Remove chicken and sausage and set aside,
Add more oil if needed, the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and mix in. Cook for 30 seconds.

Jambalaya: Add the rice, diced tomatoes, hot sauce (optional), Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and if you’re brave. the remaining TBS of Creole seasoning, stir to combine. Return the meat to the pan and add the chicken broth and bay leaves.

Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, giving it one stir, around the halfway point. Add the shrimp (and calamari if using), cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Serve sprinkled with some sliced green onions.