Jambalaya at home
- Prep 15 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes
- Total 55 minutes
Jambalaya at home is a dinner recipe on Avoteb. Plan on 55 minutes from start to plate. The amounts and the method are both on this page.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 (14-ounce) package andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 cup sliced okra, optional
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 small bell peppers (green, red, or a mix), cored and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (see note below)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 to 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 –2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional, but recommended)
- garnishes: thinly-sliced green onions, chopped fresh parsley, hot sauce
Method
Brown the chicken. Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-a hot burner. Tip in the chicken in an even layer and season lightly with salt and pepper. Leave for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and just cooked through. Move to a plate and keep nearby.
Brown the sausage. Tip in the sausage to the same pot and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Move to the plate with the chicken.
Quick-sauté the okra (skippable but recommended). Tip in a small drizzle of oil to the pot if needed. Tip in the okra and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden. Move the okra to a small bowl and keep nearby. (This step helps reduce okra’s sliminess and keeps its texture intact.)
Sauté the vegetables. Tip in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot. Stir in the onion, bell peppers, celery, and jalapeño. Sauté for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Tip in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Toast the rice. Tip in the rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme and bay leaf. Whisk constantly for about 1 minute, until the rice is lightly toasted and the mixture is fragrant.
Let it bubble gently. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 3 cups chicken stock. Raise the mixture to a gentle let it bubble gently, then reduce heat to medium-low. Lid and cook for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the rice is still not tender, you can add an extra ½ cup of broth, but try to avoid stirring too much so that the rice cooks evenly.
Tip in the okra, shrimp, and meats. Stir in the okra, shrimp, and the reserved chicken and sausage. Turn off the heat, cover, and let everything steam for 4–5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
Finish and season. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice, then check the seasoning and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or Cajun seasoning as needed.
Plate Plate while it is hot, garnished with green onions, parsley, and hot sauce if desired, and enjoy!
