Creole Jambalaya Recipe
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!
