Description

This one-pot jambalaya is packed with chicken, shrimp, healthy veggies, rice, and bold Cajun spices — a comforting, one-pan meal, perfect for meal prep or entertaining a crowd.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
8- 12 ounces chicken andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
8-16 ounces large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 large onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 ribs of celery, sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 a jalapeno, finely chopped (more or less depending on heat tolerance)
1 1/2 cups extra long-grain white rice (or use basmati or jasmine)
2 heaping teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon dry ground sage or oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
2 bay leaves
14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes (or blend 1 1/2 cups tomatoes in a blender)
3-4 cups of chicken broth, *see notes (or shellfish broth)
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish: green onions and hot sauce.

Optional additions: 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, edamame, green beans or okra

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Instructions

Sear the meat. Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Brown it, but no need to cook it through, lowering the heat if necessary. Scoop this onto a large plate. To the same pan, add the sausage, browning both sides, then place it with the chicken. Add the shrimp and quickly brown both sides, giving it some color. Place it with the sausage and chicken.
Saute the veggies. *See note. To the same pan (wipe it out if you want) add a little more olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant and tender. Lower the heat to medium, add the celery, bell peppers, and jalapeno, and stir until just softened. Add the rice, smoked paprika, thyme, sage or oregano, mustard powder, bay leaves, and give a good stir for one minute.
Simmer. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 3 cups of the chicken broth, then season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, sausage, and any optional veggies. (Wait to add the shrimp.)Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is perfectly tender. Stir every 7 minutes or so to prevent burning, adding more broth as needed.
Nestle. When the rice is almost done, nestle in the seared shrimp. Continue cooking, covered, until the shrimp is cooked through and the rice is tender.
Season. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish and serve with the green onions and optional hot sauce.

Notes

Note: I actually like to use two pans here, simultaneously. One for the chicken, sausage, and shrimp, and another large pan for the onion, garlic, and veggies, and simmering. This makes it faster, but there is more cleanup, and you don’t get the browned bits and flavor from the meat.

To add depth to Chicken Broth: add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce ( trust me), or soy sauce or a few splashes of Worcestershire.

Storing Leftovers: Allow to cool then store up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to prevent drying out.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
Calories: 462
Sugar: 6.7 g
Sodium: 538 mg
Fat: 8.2 g
Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
Carbohydrates: 52.9 g
Fiber: 5.3 g
Protein: 43.5 g
Cholesterol: 154.3 mg