Jambalaya Recipe

Prep and brown chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry and cut into 1-inch pieces. Season with 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer and brown 2–3 minutes per side until golden (they do not need to be fully cooked). Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken, adding a touch more oil if needed.

Cook sausage

Slice the andouille into 1/4-inch rounds. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the sausage and cook 3–4 minutes until browned and some fat renders. Remove sausage to the plate with chicken, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Cook shrimp (later finish)

Reserve the raw shrimp in the refrigerator; shrimp will be added near the end and cooked briefly (see Finish section).

Lower heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan with the sausage/chicken fond. Add the diced onion, green and red bell peppers, and celery (the classic 'holy trinity'). Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring so garlic doesn't brown.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the browned chicken and sausage to the pot. Stir in the uncooked rice so grains are coated. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf.

Season with Creole/Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, dried thyme, remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper, and optional hot sauce. Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low so liquid simmers gently. Cover the pot tightly and simmer for 18–20 minutes without lifting the lid, until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.

After the rice has cooked 18–20 minutes, remove the pot from heat. Keep it covered and let it sit off-heat for 5 minutes to steam and finish cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (add up to 1/4 tsp more salt or a few dashes of hot sauce). Discard the bay leaf.

Stir the cooked chicken and sausage into the rice gently to combine. Add the reserved raw shrimp on top of the rice and cover the pot again for 4–6 minutes; the residual heat will cook the shrimp until pink and opaque (if you prefer, you can quickly sauté the shrimp separately for 2–3 minutes and then fold in).

Once shrimp are cooked, fold in chopped parsley and most of the sliced green onions, reserving a little for garnish. Let the jambalaya rest 2 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side and remaining green onions sprinkled on top.