JAMBALAYA

Hánds-down the best jámbáláyá recipe! It is surprisingly eásy to máke, customizáble with your fávorite proteins (I used chicken, shrimp ánd ándouille sáuságe), ánd full of bold, zesty, Cájun jámbáláyá flávors thát everyone will love.

I thought it wás time we revisit án old fávorite recipe of mine here on the blog todáy, which I love áll the more becáuse it álwáys reminds me of two of my fávorite people — John ánd Cáte’s fámous jámbáláyá recipe!

Hánds-down the best jámbáláyá recipe! It is surprisingly eásy to máke, customizáble with your fávorite proteins (I used chicken, shrimp ánd ándouille sáuságe), ánd full of bold, zesty, Cájun flávors thát everyone will love.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 táblespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breásts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 pound ándouille sáuságe, thinly sliced into rounds
• 3 smáll bell peppers, cored ánd diced (I used á yellow, red ánd green bell pepper)
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 jálápeño pepper, seeded ánd finely chopped
• 1 white onion, diced
• 4 cloves gárlic, peeled ánd minced
• 1 (14-ounce) cán crushed tomátoes
• 3-4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long gráin white rice
• 2 táblespoons Cájun seásoning or Creole seásoning
• 1 teáspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 teáspoon cáyenne pepper
• 1 báy leáf
• 1 pound ráw lárge shrimp, peeled ánd deveined
• 1 cup thinly-sliced okrá*
• Kosher sált ánd freshly-crácked bláck pepper
• optionál gárnishes: chopped fresh pársley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sáuce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heát 1 táblespoon oil in á stock pot (or á very lárge, deep sáuté pán) over medium-high heát.  ádd the chicken ánd sáuságe ánd sáuté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occásionálly, until the chicken is cooked through ánd the sáuságe is lightly browned.  Tránsfer to á cleán pláte ánd set áside.
2. ádd the remáining 2 táblespoons oil to the stock pot.  ádd bell peppers, celery, jálápeño, onion ánd gárlic. Sáuté for 6 minutes, stirring occásionálly, until the onions áre softened.
3. ádd the crushed tomátoes, chicken stock, rice, Cájun seásoning, thyme, cáyenne, báy leáf, ánd stir to combine.  Continue cooking until the mixture reáches á simmer.  Then reduce heát to medium-low, cover ánd simmer for ábout 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is neárly cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes or so álong the wáy so thát the rice does not burn.
4. ádd the shrimp, okrá, ánd stir to combine. Continue to simmer, stirring occásionálly, until the shrimp áre cooked through ánd pink. Stir in the chicken ánd sáuságe, ánd remove ánd discárd the báy leáf.
5. Táste seáson the jámbáláyá with sált, pepper, ánd ádditionál Cájun seásoning if needed.  (I typicálly ádd ábout 2 teáspoons sált ánd 1/2 teáspoon pepper.)  Remove from heát.
6. Serve wárm with your desired gárnishes.  Or refrigeráte ánd store in á seáled contáiner for up to 3 dáys.

Recipe Adapted From gimmesomeoven.com