Jambalaya

I’ve never had jambalaya before…at least I don’t think I have. I’m not normally a sausage person, since I don’t eat pork. Even some turkey sausages gross me out, but since we were having a “sausage fest” party, I had to come up with ingredients I would eat as well. One of the recipes on the menu was a jambalaya. I was originally going to make a crockpot version, however the recipe I wanted to double did not fit in my 4qt crock. I had to find another recipe, and I think this was a winner.

My challenge was finding good food without MSG or nitrates in them. Luckily, we went to Trader Joe’s and there was a full array of different types of sausages for me to try, all without any MSG or nitrates! I saw they had a chicken andouille sausage that was perfect for this recipe.

I pretty much followed the recipe except I used a 28 oz can of tomatoes, used chicken andouille, and accidently forgot to add the shrimp, parsley and green onions at the end. Otherwise, this was great!

Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille Jambalaya
adapted from: recipezaar.com
printable recipe

ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into pieces
1 lb andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices (I used a 12 oz package of smoked chicken andouille)
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups long grain rice  (I used jasmine)
1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes, chopped,with juice (I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes)
2 cups chicken broth or stock (I used bouillon cubes and water)
8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 green onions, finely chopped

directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pan or Dutch oven, brown chicken in hot oil on both sides; remove and drain.

Add andouille, onion, celery, bell pepper, thyme, oregano, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan, cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes until onions are tender.

Add rice, tomatoes with juice, and broth; bring to a boil.

Place rice mixture in a baking dish or oven-proof casserole; top with chicken; cover (can use foil) and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until rice and chicken are done and tender.

Stir in shrimp, parsley, and green onions; cover and cook 5-8 minutes longer or until shrimp curl and turn bright pink and serve.