Description
Michael Symon’s jambalaya brings Louisiana’s soulful flavors to your kitchen with a perfect blend of spicy sausage, tender chicken, and aromatic rice. Rich, hearty ingredients dance together, inviting you to savor authentic Southern comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 white onion, diced
- 3 small bell peppers (yellow, red, and green), cored and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 cup thinly sliced okra
- 1 ½ cups (270 g) uncooked long-grain white rice
- 3–4 cups (720-960 ml) chicken stock
- 1 (14 oz / 400 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsps Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)
- thinly sliced green onions (optional garnish)
- hot sauce (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Sear Proteins: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken and sausage until fully cooked and caramelized, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove and reserve on a clean plate.
- Develop Aromatics: In the same pot, sauté onions, celery, jalapeño, garlic, and bell peppers until onions become translucent and vegetables soften, about 6 minutes.
- Build Flavor Base: Add uncooked rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne, and bay leaf. Pour in chicken stock and crushed tomatoes, blending all ingredients thoroughly.
- Simmer Rice: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and allow rice to cook for 25-30 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes to prevent sticking, ensuring even cooking and moisture absorption.
- Incorporate Seafood: When rice is nearly tender, fold in shrimp and okra. Continue simmering until shrimp turn completely pink and are fully cooked.
- Final Integration: Return previously seared chicken and sausage to the pot, mixing well. Remove bay leaf, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Adjust Cajun seasoning if desired, then immediately transfer jambalaya to serving dishes, ensuring a vibrant and flavorful one-pot meal.
Notes
- Meat Prep Strategy: Brown chicken and sausage first to develop deep flavor layers and create delicious caramelized exterior before building jambalaya base.
- Vegetable Sauté Technique: Cook onions, celery, and peppers until translucent to release natural sweetness and create robust aromatic foundation for the dish.
- Rice Cooking Tip: Stir rice every 5 minutes during simmering to prevent scorching and ensure even, consistent cooking throughout the pot.
- Seafood Timing Trick: Add shrimp and okra near end of cooking to prevent overcooking, maintaining tender texture and preventing rubbery consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg