Spicy Jambalaya hails from New Orleans with deep roots in the Creole culture. Rumored to have been their attempt at a Spanish Paella (remember we made it last summer?) But paella has cured chorizo sausage, and jambalaya has smoked andouille sausage. Both are highly flavored sausages, and unique in their own right. I like chicken andouille for this recipe, but pork andouille is awesome too.
Like most Cajun dishes, this jambalaya starts with a ‘soffrito’, the ‘holy trinity of veg, onions, peppers and celery. Then most of the spice mixture is added in and sauteed until you think it might burn, then you add some stock and scrape up all the browned bits. That’s called flavor, and boy does this dish have flavor!
Feel free to use leftover or rotisserie chicken, and the shrimp is optional but fairly traditional. You can cook it right in the jambalaya (but wait till the end, so it doesn’t overcook and get tough)
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Jambalaya
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour +
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Perfect for Fat Tuesday! Hearty, healthy, and very satisfying. Ages ago, I modified this Paul Prudhomme recipe a bit and it’s been in my repertoire for years. Please mind the technique, it’s essential for getting the right flavor, just keep an eye on those spices, you want them to get nice and brown, but not burn!
Ingredients
Seasoning mix
- 1 tablespoon sweet OR smoked paprika (preferred)
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (affiliate link)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups onions, chopped (about 1-1/2 to 2 medium onions)
- 3 cups green and/or red pepper, chopped (about 3-4 small peppers)
- 1 cup celery, chopped (about 2-3 stalks)
- 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 6 links chicken andouille sausage* (cut into half-moon slices)
- 3 bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken stock (homemade if possible)
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted if possible)
- 3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice (uncooked (white is fine too)
- 1 lb. shrimp (optional), peeled and deveined
Instructions
- Preheat a heavy-bottomed (at least 5-quart) dutch oven, over med-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add olive oil and 2 cups of the onions, 2 cups of the bell peppers, the celery, 1 cup of the andouille, the bay leaves, and 3 tablespoons (about half of the mix) of the seasoning mix. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pot frequently until the crust seems in danger of burning, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Stir in 1 cup of the stock, scrape the bottom of the pot to clear it of all brown bits, and cook for 10 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, chicken, and remaining seasoning mix, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining onions, peppers, andouille, and stock, and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is completely absorbed, about 40 minutes (until rice is cooked).
- You can sauté the shrimp in a little olive oil, or add to the pot 5-6 minutes before serving. It’s an optional ingredient, but sure is tasty!
Notes
Be sure to use a heavy pan for this, so the jambalaya doesn’t burn.
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