Jambalaya (by The Cooler) Recipe

Prep produce and proteins

Peel and dice the onion. Core and dice the green pepper. Trim and slice the celery. Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, keeping whites and greens separate. Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Slice the andouille sausage into 1/2-inch rounds. Pat shrimp dry and set aside.

Measure out rice, stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings so everything is ready to go.

Brown sausage

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the sliced andouille. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crisp at edges, about 4–5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to a bowl and reserve fat in the pot.

Brown chicken

Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot. Season the chicken pieces lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. When oil is shimmering, add chicken in a single layer and brown for 3–4 minutes without moving, then stir and cook another 2 minutes until golden (chicken does not need to be fully cooked). Remove chicken to the same bowl as the sausage.

Sauté vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pot along with the diced onion, green pepper, and celery (the Holy Trinity). Sauté until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the white parts of the scallions and minced garlic in the last 1–2 minutes and cook until fragrant.

Tomato and seasoning build

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices, Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, Worcestershire, hot sauce, bay leaves, remaining salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook 2–3 minutes to meld flavors.

Combine rice, stock, and proteins

Add the uncooked rice to the pot and stir so rice is coated with the tomato/vegetable mixture. Return the browned sausage and chicken to the pot, distributing evenly. Pour in the chicken stock and stir once to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Simmer covered

Once boiling, reduce heat to low, partially cover the pot and simmer gently for 18–20 minutes, or until rice is nearly tender and most liquid is absorbed. Do not stir frequently — occasional gentle nudges are fine to prevent sticking.

Add shrimp

Nestle the shrimp into the top of the rice, cover, and cook 4–6 minutes more until shrimp are pink and opaque and rice is fully tender. If rice is still too firm and liquid is absorbed, add up to 1/2 cup more stock and continue cooking a few minutes.

Rest and fluff

Remove the pot from heat. Discard bay leaves. Let jambalaya rest, covered, 5 minutes. Gently fluff with a fork to combine proteins and rice, tasting to adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or hot sauce as desired.

Garnish and serve

Stir in chopped parsley and the green parts of the scallions. Spoon jambalaya into bowls or serve straight from the pot. Offer lemon wedges and extra hot sauce at the table.