Description
Savory jambalaya brings Louisiana’s soulful culinary heritage to life with robust Creole flavors. Spicy rice, tender meats, and zesty seasonings create a hearty meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 200 g (7 oz) smoked andouille sausage (or chorizo, sliced)
- 200 g (7 oz) shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- 3 cups chicken broth (or seafood broth for extra flavor)
- 1 (400 g / 14 oz) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tsp Creole seasoning (or Cajun seasoning)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 green onions (chopped)
- Fresh parsley (chopped)
- Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Protein Preparation: Sear sliced sausage in a heated skillet with olive oil, developing golden-brown edges and releasing deep, caramelized flavors. Remove and set aside.
- Chicken Searing: In the same pan, brown chicken pieces thoroughly, ensuring each surface achieves a crisp, rich exterior that locks in moisture and enhances overall taste profile.
- Aromatic Foundation: Sauté diced onions, bell peppers, and celery in remaining pan drippings, creating a classic Creole flavor base that infuses the entire dish with traditional Louisiana essence.
- Spice Integration: Introduce minced garlic, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper, stirring vigorously to distribute intense, complex spice notes throughout the vegetable mixture.
- Liquid Transformation: Add uncooked rice, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth, stirring to combine ingredients and ensure even liquid distribution. Return sausage and chicken to the pan.
- Simmering and Melding: Cover and simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes, allowing rice to absorb flavors and proteins to become tender, creating a harmonious one-pot culinary experience.
- Final Flourish: Uncover, fluff rice, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, letting the jambalaya rest briefly before serving to enhance flavor integration.
Notes
- Optimize Protein Searing: Use a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan to achieve maximum caramelization and develop deeper flavor profiles for sausage and chicken.
- Control Heat Precision: Maintain medium-high temperature consistently to prevent burning while ensuring proper protein browning and sealing in natural juices.
- Layer Flavor Technique: Reuse the same pan with residual oils to capture and amplify the meat’s accumulated flavor essence, creating a rich base for subsequent cooking stages.
- Meat Preparation Tip: Pat chicken and sausage dry before searing to enhance surface browning and prevent steaming, which ensures a crisp, golden exterior.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Cajun/Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg