With this simple jambalaya recipe, you can get a taste of traditional New Orleans comfort cuisine right in your kitchen! It is a substantial combination of rice, vegetables, prawns, sausage, and chicken that is bursting with spicy Cajun and Creole flavours.
Jambalaya always brings back memories of my vacation to New Orleans for me. I tasted an unbelievable quantity of seafood, and meals like gumbo and jambalaya (also known as traditional Louisiana comfort foods) will always be ingrained in my memory.
Jambalaya is actually extremely simple to make, despite the fact that it appears complicated. It's a simple one-pot dish! Additionally, I make my own Cajun spice, which truly makes this dish come to life.
You can also make creamy Cajun chicken using the leftover homemade spice from preparing this jambalaya dish; you'll be pleased you did, I promise.
JAMBALAYA INGREDIENTS
- 1 Pound Meats: While you may select between chicken, beef, or pork, andouille sausage is one component you should never skip. It tastes fantastic and is a typical jambalaya dish. Chorizo can be substituted for andouille sausage if necessary.
- Vegetables: The Cajun Holy Trinity of vegetables consists of 1 onion, 2 green bell peppers, and 2 ribs of celery. Consider this a Cajun adaptation of a French mirepoix vegetable combination.
- 1 ½ cups Rice: For this meal, choose long-grain white rice (I'm using basmati). The cook time will vary with brown rice and other varieties of rice. And be sure to read the advice on how to avoid mushy rice in the section after that.
- 2 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning & Spices: While you can purchase Cajun seasoning, I recommend preparing my own to complement the tastes and hues in this dish (I go into more detail about this below). Additionally, you'll need a bay leaf, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and fresh 4 cloves garlic.
- 3 cups Stock: To cook the rice in this recipe's foundation, a can of crushed tomatoes is combined with a lot of chicken stock.
Informative tip: Jambalaya is inherently spicy. But, at least in my opinion, my version isn't extremely hot. You may scale back or completely skip the red pepper flakes if you're worried about the amount of heat.
HOW TO MAKE JAMBALAYA
You need to follow the exact cooking instruction for making a perfect Jambalaya. Here is the complete process of making this recipe.
Chicken is seasoned and cooked. Toss the diced chicken with 1 tablespoon of Cajun spice in a medium mixing dish to coat evenly. The chicken should then be cooked thoroughly and gently brown in color. Add a platter after removing the chicken.
Prepare the sausage. In the remaining oil, the sausage should be sautéed while being lightly browned on both sides. The banger should then be added to the dish with the chicken.
Cook the vegetables. The veggies want to soften after 4 to 5 minutes of sauteing the onion, bell pepper, and celery. The ultimate Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder ought to then be delivered to the pan. Stirring and combining for 30 seconds.
Add the liquid and the rice. The bay leaf, tomatoes, and broth are then added after stirring in the rice. Simmer everything for a while, then turn the heat down to low and cover. Cook the rice until it is al dente for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring it once or twice to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Prawns should be included. After removing the bay leaf, toss in the chicken, sausage, and prawns, and then turn the heat off. In 4 to 5 minutes, the prawns will be fully cooked, and the liquid should have been absorbed by the rice.
It is suggested to add the fish just before serving to prevent overcooking. Everyone dislikes rubbery prawns.
Garnish. Before serving, garnish with thinly sliced green onions and chopped parsley.
STORAGE TIPS
- Preserve It: Have amusing this week and I'm able to assure you that you may feel true approximately yourself for a few days. Any leftovers may genuinely be stored in the fridge for four to 5 days in a hermetic container.
- Freeze for later: Jambalaya, like the majority of my one-pot dishes, is excellent for a future freezer dinner. It may last as long as 3 months inside the freezer. The night before, defrost it in the fridge, then rewarm it for approximately a minute in the microwave.
I truly hope you take pleasure in this mouthwatering jambalaya dish as a great deal as I do. In such a case, kindly share your thoughts in the field beneath
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JAMBALAYA (NO MUSHY RICE!)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 11 ounces fully-cooked andouille sausage, sliced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 2 ribs of celery, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ cups uncooked long grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (15-ounce can) crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound large shrimp (in the 16-20 count range), peeled and deveined
- sliced green onions and chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken. In a medium mixing bowl toss together the diced chicken with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, until evenly coated.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven or wide-bottomed (and preferably deep) pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute until lightly golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Cook the sausage. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil along with the sausage to the same pan and saute for a couple of minutes, until lightly browned on both sides. Remove the sausage to the plate with the chicken.
- Saute the veggies. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until the veggies have softened. If you need to add a splash more oil feel free to do so.
- Add the garlic and spices. Add the minced garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, and the red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir together for 30 seconds.
- Add the rice and liquid. Add the rice and toast with the veggies and spices by stirring for a minute. Then add the bay leaf, tomatoes, and broth. Give it a stir, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally just to make sure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the rice is al dente. *see notes on rice below
- Add the shrimp. Remove the bay leaf, add the shrimp to the pan along with the sausage and chicken, gently stir, cover, and turn off the heat. The shrimp will cook through in about 4 to 5 minutes, and all of the liquid should be absorbed by the rice. Taste the jambalaya and season with extra salt and pepper if you'd like.
- Garnish. Before serving, garnish with sliced green onions and chopped parsley.
LISA’S TIPS
- The variety of rice you use, along with the type of pot and stovetop temperature really impacts the cooking time and whether the rice goes soft and mushy, or if the grains stay fluffy. Basmati and jasmine rice can cook quickly, so I’d recommend checking on the texture at around 7 to 8 minutes. It’s best to stop when it’s al dente, as it will keep cooking when you add the shrimp and let it sit. If using parboiled rice or long-grain brown rice, you will need to cook the rice longer and add additional broth or water.
- Make sure to use a large Dutch oven or stock pot. This recipe makes a good amount, and it’s easier to stir in a large pot.
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