Jambalaya with Chicken + Shrimp

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Why we love it:

Jambalaya recipes invoke passionate arguments about ingredients, procedures, and taste - perhaps because it’s a melting pot dish inspired by so many places. Our version is a satisfying one pot meal impressive enough for a dinner party but easy enough for a Tuesday. Our favorite kind of cooking.

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Ingredients

1 Onion (chopped)
3 ribs Celery
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
1 Bell Pepper (Orange, Yellow or Red) (chopped)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
¹⁄₂ teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (optional, if you don’t have this in you cabinet, use 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon paprika)
4 ounces Sausage (sliced, andouille is a great choice)
¹⁄₂ pound Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless, cut into 1" pieces)
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 15-ounce can Crushed Tomatoes
1 cup Basmati Rice (White)
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 pound Shrimp (medium, peeled and deveined, tails on, about 36/40 or 41/50 size)

Cooking Instructions

1. VEGETABLES

Dice the onion in small squares. Dice the celery. Mince the garlic. Slice both bell peppers in small squares.
2. SAUTÉ

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, celery, garlic, and peppers. Season with salt and pepper, oregano, and Old Bay.
3. SAUSAGE

Slice the sausage in thin slices and add it to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes while you prep the chicken.
4. CHICKEN

Dice the chicken into 1” cubes. Stir it in to the pot. Cook until the chicken is golden on the outsides, about 5 minutes.
5. TOMATOES

Add the tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
6. RICE

Add the rice and stir until well coated.

Add chicken stock, and bring to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, stir the pot well to make sure nothing is sticking, then reduce the heat to medium low, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is almost absorbed. During this time, open the lid and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan at least once and perhaps twice.
7. SHRIMP

If you need to peel and devein the shrimp, do that. We like to leave the tails on because they add flavor, but you could remove them if preferred.

Add the shrimp to the pot after the 20 minutes have passed, press them into the rice. Cover and and cook until they’re pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
8. SERVING

Gently give everything a good stir and plate in large bowls. Put some sausages or shrimp on top for a nice presentation.

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Substitutions

PALEO:

sauté the veggies, meat, and shrimp without the rice. (still reserve the shrimp and add last, after the tomatoes). Add the spices, tomato paste, can of tomatoes and stock. Simmer. Add the shrimp and serve the whole thing - which is now more of a soup - in a bowl or over spaghetti squash, cauliflower mash, or paleo noodles
SHRIMP:

omit if you prefer. The 36/40 are medium size. You could certainly use any size you like here
SAUSAGE:

don’t like it or want it? Just omit
STOCK:

you could use water, but since the dish is simple, a good stock will go a long way. If you only use half a box, be sure to freeze it for next time
KIDS CORNER:

could just be a presentation issue here for some kids, cook everything the same but serve the chicken, sausage, and shrimp separate from the rice. Or, if it’s everything, keep the components they’ll eat separate and sauté them in a pan (i.e. the chicken, some onion, a few bits of pepper) and serve them a plain little stir fry, with or without rice. If they’ll eat broccoli or asparagus you could steam some on top or on the side