Jambalaya (Recipe 120 of 150)

I've not made Jambalaya too often. I had all the ingredients except the jalapeno, which meant the old grocery finances were saved a little this week. 

In case you've been under a rock, Jambalaya is a spicy Cajun rice dish. As I write this it's on the stove and my nostrils are almost burning with the smell of spicy in the air. 

Naturally, there are no bell peppers in my Jambalaya, blech. Otherwise I stayed true to this recipe. Well, except I didn't put in 2tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. I did 1.5 and good heavens it was spicy!

Jambalaya

Recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Serves 6 (with a side salad and a glass of milk for the spicy)

• 3 T olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
• 3 small bell peppers, cored and diced 
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3-4 c chicken stock
• 1 1/2 c uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 T Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
• 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stock pot (or a very large, deep sauté pan) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sausage is lightly browned. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the stock pot. Add bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, onion and garlic. Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.

Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, cooked chicken and sausage, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is nearly cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes or so along the way so that the rice does not burn.

Add the shrimp and okra, and stir to combine. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Taste season the jambalaya with salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning if needed. (I typically add about 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.) Remove from heat.