Jambalaya Tuesday Recipe

Prep

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1-inch pieces. Slice the Andouille sausage into 1/4-inch rounds. Dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery (the classic 'holy trinity'). Mince the garlic. Rinse rice briefly under cold water and drain.

Brown meats

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When hot, add the sausage slices in a single layer and brown 2–3 minutes per side until caramelized. Remove sausage to a plate. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, about 4–5 minutes; they do not need to be cooked through. Remove chicken to the plate with the sausage.

Sauté vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Sauté 5–6 minutes until softened and starting to color. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste; cook 30–45 seconds, stirring constantly, to bloom the paste.

Deglaze and combine

Pour in the canned diced tomatoes with their juices and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the browned sausage and chicken back to the pot. Stir in the rice, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and optional hot sauce.

Simmer

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer untouched for 18–22 minutes until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. After 18 minutes, check for doneness: rice should be cooked but slightly firm; if still too firm, recover and cook 2–4 more minutes. Avoid stirring too much to prevent mushy rice.

Finish

When rice is done, remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf. Let the pot rest, covered, 5 minutes. Gently fluff the jambalaya with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or Cajun seasoning if desired. Stir in chopped parsley and reserve some green onions for garnish; sprinkle green onions on top just before serving.

Slice the French bread loaf into serving pieces. Warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 6–8 minutes or until slightly crisp on the outside. Serve with softened butter on the side.

Ladle the jambalaya into bowls. Garnish with remaining green onions and an extra pinch of parsley. Serve immediately with a slice of warmed French bread and a cup of iced tea or your choice of drink.