Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

This recipe is adapted from a cookbook I purchased while at New Orleans JazzFest a few years back. When I’m craving NOLA, this is one of my go-to dishes, alongside Gumbo.

I’m not a huge fan of crawfish, but feel free to mix in at the end. This makes a large pot of jambalaya so you’ll definitely have leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 lb. sausage, sliced (andouille or cajun style work great)
• 1 lb. chicken, chopped (boneless, skinless chicken thighs have best flavor)
• 2 28 oz cans no salt added diced tomatoes 
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon reduced sodium Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 cups rice, but variable per recipe (use an actual measuring cup vs. traditional rice cup)

Directions:

1. Saute sliced sausage and chopped chicken. Remove from the pot. 
2. Add chopped veggies and saute in bacon grease with the spices. Once onions are a bit translucent, add the Worcestershire and hot sauce.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for one hour. After simmering, taste and adjust salt as needed.
4. (Optional) Pour off the liquid and measure. Then pour back in the pot. The amount of liquid determines the amount of rice. For example, if you have 4 cups of liquid, add two cups of rice.
5. Remove from heat and let cool for about 45 min before placing the pot, covered, into the fridge overnight.
6. When ready to finish, bring jambalaya back to a simmer and add rice. Stir, cover and simmer on low ensuring the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
7. The jambalaya is ready when the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
8. Serve warm with smoked sausage or crawfish tails heated through.

Toppings: 

• 1 lb. crawfish tails (optional) added at the end.
• Fresh parsley when reheated and a few dashes of Crystal hot sauce.

Options:

• I like to use red and green bell pepper for the color

Salt Swaps:

• I skip the initial salt until the jambalaya has simmered as the sausage will release a ton of flavor and sodium.
• By using no salt added diced tomatoes, or fresh, you remove all the extra sodium in the dish allowing the greatest flexibility.