shut the fffront door - sausage chicken jambalaya
My family loves this dish. It's great on weekends when everyone is watching college or pro football games. It can be made ahead and warmed up in a Crock Pot for tailgating. We also like it during the holidays. This is similar to one of Emeril's jambalaya recipes, but I like a little tomato in mine (red jambalaya). I also use brown rice and only white meat chicken. If the dish is too spicy for you, cut back on the cayenne pepper, or adjust upward if you like it spicier. Always feel free to add a little more broth or water if it’s too dry, but it’s a rice dish that’s not intended to be soupy.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
We have a new appreciation of andouille sausage after trying this sausage chicken jambalaya. It's a real star in this scrumptious recipe and is a true Louisiana classic. Starting with the trinity of vegetables (peppers, onions, celery) and then seasoning in layers adds a nice punch of flavor. The key to this dish is layering the seasoning and cooking down the veggies to a deep amber color. This is considered a red jambalaya because of the tomatoes. Andouille sausage makes this comfort meal a little smoky. A great recipe for a crowd because this recipe makes a lot of jambalaya.
Ingredients
- 1 pound andouille sausage
- 1 1/2 pounds your choice of chicken meat (3 - 4 cups)
- 2 medium white onions (2 - 3 cups chopped)
- 1 medium red bell peppers
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 3 stalks celery (1 cup diced)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 - bay leaves, optional
- 2 1/4 cups uncooked white rice
- 1 can diced fire roasted or reg petite diced tomatoes with liquid (14.5 oz)
- 5 - 6 cups liquid (chicken broth, water, or a combination)
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
How To Make shut the fffront door - sausage chicken jambalaya
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Step 1Prep the meats. Cut sausage into 1/4" slices and then into fourths. Chicken should be cut into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces. Set aside. -
Step 2Dice onion, dice peppers, and dice celery. Heat the oil in a large cast iron Dutch oven or heavy chili-type pot over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and celery to the oil.
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Step 3Add 2 tsp of the salt and 1 tsp of the cayenne pepper.
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Step 4Stir often and brown the vegetables for 15-20 minutes or until caramelized and a dark brown in color. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles.
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Step 5Add the sausage and cook for about 10 minutes or so. Continue to scrape the bottom and sides to pick up the brown bits. If the pan gets super dry and everything begins to stick, add another tablespoon of oil.
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Step 6Season the chicken with the remaining 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of cayenne, and ground pepper.
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Step 7Add the seasoned chicken and the bay leaves to the pot. Cook the chicken for about 8 - 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.
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Step 8Add 2 1/2 cups of uncooked rice. Stir and coat it well with everything in the pot.
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Step 9Stir in tomatoes.
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Step 10Add 5 - 6 cups of broth.
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Step 11Cover and cook on medium heat for 30 - 35 minutes.
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Step 12Remove from the heat. Remove bay leaves. Add green onions and parsley.
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Step 13Serve with some nice French bread or rolls. Hot sauce should be on hand for those who like things spicier.
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Step 14Note: I like the flavor and texture of chicken that is cooked a bit slower on the bone. So, this is what I did: I took 3 huge breasts on the bone with skin and cooked them in a slow cooker 2 hrs on high with a can of fire roasted tomatoes on top. After 2 hours, I took the meat off the bones and discarded the skin and bones, cut up the meat, and set it aside. The meat will continue to cook in the pot when incorporated into the jambalaya, so don't cook it too long in the slow cooker (about 4 cups of meat). Take a potato masher and mash the tomatoes in the chicken broth created in the Crock Pot. Pour broth and tomatoes into a two-cup measuring cup. Skim off as much fat as you can (I used a paper towel). Use this mixture as part of your 6 cups of liquid.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
