Jambalaya ⭐️

From McGough's Recipes
Prep Cook Total
20 Min 35 Min Cook & 35 - 45 Min Simmer 1 Hr 30 Min - 1 Hr 40 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive or Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 Medium Onions, Coarsely Chopped
  • 1 Cup Thinly Sliced Celery
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 Teaspoon Oregano
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or To Taste (up to 2 teaspoons)[1]
  • 2 Cups Long-grain Rice
  • 1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 Cups chicken broth[2]
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, chopped but not drained or crushed or diced tomatoes[3]
  • 1-2 lbs peeled and de-veined shrimp
  • 1-2 lbs smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, cut into ½ inch slices than halved or quartered [4]

Directions

  1. Combine oil, garlic, onions and celery in a 4-quart pot.
  2. Sauté on medium heat until vegetables are soft.
  3. Stir in bay leaf, oregano, thyme, black pepper, salt and cayenne.
  4. Add Chicken and cook until almost cooked through, covered.[5]
  5. Stir in rice to coat.
  6. Add tomatoes and Chicken Broth (or bouillon with water) and bring to boil.[5]
  7. Add shrimp and sausage, turn heat to simmer and cover.
  8. Stir occasionally, continue simmering until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente-about 20 to 40 minutes.[6]

Steps For Meal Prep

Prep & Cook Simmer & Finish Total
20 Min Prep
20 Min Cook
5 Min Reheat
20 - 45 Min Simmer
40 Min Prep Day
25 - 45 Min Finish Day

Directions

Meal Prep Day

  1. Combine oil, garlic, onions and celery in a 4-quart pot.
  2. Sauté on medium heat until vegetables are soft.
  3. Stir in bay leaf, oregano, thyme, black pepper, salt and cayenne.
  4. Add Chicken and cook until almost cooked through, covered.[5]
  5. Add tomatoes and Chicken Broth (or bouillon with water) and bring to boil.[5]
  6. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge

Dinner Day

  1. Stir in rice.
  2. Add shrimp and sausage, turn heat to simmer and cover.
  3. Stir occasionally, continue simmering until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente-about 20 to 40 minutes.[6]

Family Tweaks

  1. 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
  2. Add bouillon cubes with spices and add the water with the tomatoes. substituting for chicken broth
  3. Chopped and crushed tomatoes are perfectly fine. I usually use crushed or diced. Either way do not drain the tomatoes.
  4. Kielbasa has the best flavor
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Keep covered as often as possible. The more liquid that is retained the easier it is to get the rice cooked. The juices from cooking the chicken get adsorbed by the rice and give the rice a lot of flavor.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Optional, for best results keep the heat at a low slow simmer and do not open the lid. This can be tricky and simmering too hot can burn the bottom layer of rice but it is possible to do without burning any rice.