Jambalaya is one of those delicious, stick-to-your-ribs, keep you all warm and cozy, one-pot wonders. A solid jambalaya recipe is always good to have in your back pocket! And really, what’s a mardi gras celebration without jambalaya?!
My husband and I have football season tickets (to the New York Giants; I know, they’re terrible) and usually once a season, when it starts to get cold, we have a jambalaya tailgate. It’s always my favorite! Really, it’s a fun dish to watch come together in a place like a parking lot!
Jambalaya starts with the “holy trinity” – onion, celery and green bell peppers. You’ll add another trinity – chicken, shrimp and traditionally, andouille sausage. I had a choice between chicken andouille or chorizo, so for this I went with the chicken andouille. It was still great! A pork andouille would give you more fat in the pot, but I think this still came out perfectly.
For the shrimp, you can use fresh, cleaned or clean them yourself. I am particularly fond of Trader Joe’s Argentinian shrimp, which actually have a bit of a lobster vibe happening. I just defrost them under some cold water and then put them in the pot when the rice is done. You lay them on top of the jambalaya and pop the lid back on so they steam right up. Easy, yes?!
You’ll put yesterday’s creole seasoning to good use with this dish, too! I think it really helps to build out the flavor profile and helps pull the whole dish together. Remember, you get to control the heat when you make your own seasoning. The sausage is a little spicy, so keep that in mind when you start seasoning the pot. You can always add more spices, but it’s harder to take it away!
Creole Jambalaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp creole seasoning use 2 tbsp if using Slap Ya Mama
- 12 oz andouille sausage smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, or a chorizo will also work
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into small pieces
- 1 yellow onion, dicued
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- salt, pepper to taste
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup okra, optional, see notes
- 1.5 cups uncooked white rice
- 3 c chicken broth low sodium preferably
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined tails off preferably
- Scallions or chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Season chicken with half of the Creole seasoning.
- Brown the sausage; remove from pot.
- Add 1 tbsp of butter to the accumulated juices in the pot, cook the chicken until lightly browned. Remove from pot, set aside.
- Sautee the onions, celery and bell pepper in the juices until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and sautee until aromatic.
- Stir in the tomatoes; season with salt and pepper to taste. You can add red chili flakes, here, too! Add Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the chicken and sausage back to the pot, cooking for 5 minutes. Add okra, if using.
- Add the rice and broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce to low heat, covering the pot and allowing to simmer for about 25 minutes. Stir ocassionaly and check that the rice is cooked and liquid absorbed.
- Place the shrimp on top of the Jambalaya, pop the lid on and allow the shrimp to steam for about 6 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Taste the jambalaya for salt, pepper and spice. Adjust accordingly. Serve with parsley and/or scallions.
