Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya Bowl Recipe

Prep

Measure and prep all ingredients: rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear and drain. Dice onion, bell pepper and celery into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Mince garlic. Slice sausage and cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Open the can of diced tomatoes.

Brown sausage and chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage in a single layer and brown 3–4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the edges are nicely seared. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a plate and reserve the rendered fat in the pot. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and brown for 3–4 minutes until lightly golden but not fully cooked through. Season chicken lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper while browning. Transfer chicken to the plate with the sausage.

Sauté vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, bell pepper and celery to the pot with the fond from browning. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5–6 minutes until vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build flavor base

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to remove raw flavor. Add diced tomatoes with their juices and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, dried thyme, cayenne, remaining salt and pepper; stir well.

Simmer with rice

Return browned sausage and chicken to the pot. Add rinsed rice and pour in chicken stock. Stir once to distribute ingredients and add bay leaves. Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 18–20 minutes, or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Finish

Remove pot from heat. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Fluff jambalaya with a fork to combine chicken, sausage and rice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper or cayenne if needed. Stir in chopped parsley and half of the sliced green onions.

Serve

Spoon jambalaya into bowls. Garnish with remaining green onions and optional lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Serve hot with brushed dinner roll.

Warm rolls: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place rolls on a baking sheet and brush tops lightly with melted butter. Warm in the oven 6–8 minutes until heated through and slightly golden. Alternatively, heat rolls in a microwave for 15–20 seconds per roll.

Serve: Place one warm roll alongside each bowl of jambalaya. Offer additional butter if desired.