Andouille Sausage and Chicken Jambalaya
What better way to show love through food than with a bowlful of hearty and flavorful jambalaya?
Classic Southern comfort food will always include jambalaya. It is rich, homey, a little bit spicy, and the best part (other than how good it tastes) is that we’re working out of one pot, in this case, a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. A jambalaya exudes warmth both in spice and comfort. This dish features rice at the forefront, calling to mind another beautiful dish, a Spanish paella. What better way to show love through food than with a bowlful of hearty and flavorful jambalaya? Let’s make it happen.
Layers of flavor are a big part of the jambalaya experience. Smokey Andouille sausage will offer flavor but also render a little bit of additional (and essential) fat into the dish, and we like fat as flavor. To this, we will also add diced chicken breast; both proteins take this from a side dish to a full meal deal.
We can’t have jambalaya without rice and the “Cajun Trinity.” Cajun Trinity is a mix of peppers, celery, and onions. This holy trio brings texture and infuses flavor throughout. Of course, this wouldn’t be a jambalaya without rice. A gumbo is more stew-like and is served over a small serving of rice, whereas jambalaya relies heavily on the presence of rice. Like a paella, some of the rice will get extra toasty and crispy and so, so good! One other feature of jambalaya is the element of heat by way of jalapeño pepper and the side of homemade hot sauce that accompanies this recipe. As always, if heat isn’t your friend or if you’ve got little ones who will be enjoying the meal, then by all means, take out the hot elements so that everyone can partake of the joy that is jambalaya.
Don’t forget the hot sauce! Served alongside our jambalaya is a hot sauce to knock your socks. Check out our recipe for Homemade Hot Sauce. All of this comes together to make a magnificently delicious meal. Chef Dom shows us just how easy it is to make a pot of beautiful food that is going to delight your dinner table.
This recipe is featured in our online cooking class, Cajun Favorites.
Click the link above to watch the step-by-step video of how to make this recipe!
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Andouille Sausage and Chicken Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 10 oz. Andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 lb. chicken breast, 1’ cubes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup jasmine rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt, hot sauce, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Heat the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. add andouille sausage. Cook sausage until it starts to caramelize on the outside, 4 - 5 minutes each side.
- Remove sausage from pan to a large bowl.
- Season chicken cubes with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pot and sear for 2 - 3 minutes on four sides. We're looking for the majority of the chicken to brown and caramelize.
- Remove chicken to sausage bowl, then add onion, celery, peppers, and garlic. Sear vegetables until they start to brown, around 8 - 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add diced tomato, rice, broth, paprika and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the jambalaya. Taste for seasoning, then add cooked chicken and sausage with juices. Let rice cook for 20 - 25 minutes or until tender.
- Serve with lemon juice and extra hot sauce. Enjoy!
This recipe is from Cajun Favorites: Table for 12 Online Classes