Shuffling up a Cajun Classic for Land Lovers
Oh, how I wish…I wish, I wish, that I liked eating fish. It’s incredibly healthy, and it looks beautiful on a plate. I’ve tried to give it another shot many times, hoping my taste buds have changed.
But they haven’t. Fish tastes, well, fishy most of the time.
Some seafood I can stomach. Sushi, and the occasional salmon dish for example, but fish in general puts me off. It’s not something I can just pick out of a dish either; the fishy flavor imparts onto the whole thing.
For years I steered clear of jambalaya because it always had shrimp. But those days are over!
If you’re like me and aren’t a huge fan of seafood, here’s a chicken jambalaya recipe just for land lovers!
You get the bold, spicy flavors of the Cajun classic and a little extra protein from the chicken. All turf and no surf!
Utilizing the holy trinity of onions, celery, and pepper, this one-pot recipe is bursting with character. The smokiness will draw you in, and the hearty richness will keep you coming back for bite after bite.
This week, forget finding your sea legs and try this delicious chicken jambalaya recipe!
Chicken Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast cubed 1 1/2 inch
- 12 oz raw smoked bacon trimmed and cubed 1 inch
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 each yellow onion chopped
- 4 each garlic cloves minced
- 4 each celery sticks diced
- 2 each green pepper sliced
- 4 tsp cajun seasoning
- 4 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp basil
- 2 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp freshly ground ginger
- 4 tsp tomato puree
- 4 dashes tabasco sauce
- 6 cups boiling chicken stock
- 20 oz easy cook rice
- 8 oz chorizo sausages sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add in the onion, stirring for about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, celery, green pepper, thyme, chili powder, and ginger, and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the mixture to a large pot.
- In the same saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add cubed chicken and fry gently until lightly browned. Transfer the fried chicken to a large pot together with bacon cubes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine tomato puree, Tabasco sauce, and chicken stock. Whisk well and pour the mixture into slow cooker. Mix well, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
- Sprinkle easy-cook rice into the pot and stir to mix. Cover and simmer for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until rice is almost tender and chicken stock has been absorbed. Add a little water/chicken stock if the mixture is too dry.
- Stir in chorizo, cover, and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Stir in chopped fresh parsley and season with salt and black pepper. Stir again and turn off the heat. Leave for 10 minutes, then, using a fork, stir to fluff up the rice.
