Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a Louisiana dish and one of my all-time favorite. Louisiana is famous for a lot of things: Bayous, Mardi Gras, the Mississippi Delta, etc. Strong Spanish and French influence can be observed everywhere. The food at Louisiana is also unique given the cultural influence. In fact, this dish bears resemblance to paella, the Spanish seafood fried rice to a certain extent. Paella uses ingredients including mussels, lobster, cuttlefish, rabbit, and saffron, and some of the ingredients are either expensive or not easily accessible. Jambalaya, on the other hand, uses a list of common, less expensive ingredients. However, the flavor of the dish is not compromised in any way.

Jambalaya
Photo from Spicy Southern Kitchen.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bell peppers, diced (I prefer red bell pepper for the color but anything would do)
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 oz. andouille sausage, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
  • 2 tsp. Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning mix
  • 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 cup fresh pea (can substitute with okra)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Direction

  1. Heat oil in pot over medium heat, add chicken and sausage and cook for 5 minutes until browned.
  2. Add Add bell peppers, celery, and onion, sauté for 5 more minutes.
  3. Add garlic to post and stir for 1 minute.
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, bay leaves, and stir to combine over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. Keep stiring every 5 minutes so the rice does not burn.
  5. Add the shrimp, okra, and continue to simmer until shrimps are cooked through.
  6. Add salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning if needed.