Cajun Jambalaya
Why I Love This Recipe
This is "cajun" because it does not include tomatoes. I prefer it over "creole jambalaya" that does include tomatoes. Enjoy!
Ingredients You'll Need
1 small fryer chicken
1 stalk celery with leaves
1 onion, halved
3 cloves garlic, divided
2 cup chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup diced bell pepper
3/4 cup thinly sliced green shallot (scallions) tops
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lb baked ham, chopped
1 lb andouille, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 whole bay leaves
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried basil
2 cups rice
3-5 cups reserved broth
Directions
1 Place chicken in large dutch oven and cover with water. Add celery, onion, and 1 clove garlic and boil 60 minutes or until tender. Strain broth and reserve. Let chicken cool, then remove chicken meat from bone and cut into bite-size pieces.
2 Return dutch oven to stove. Add chopped onion, bell peppers, shallots, 2 remaining garlic cloves (minced), parsley, and ham to pot. Bring heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables and pieces of meat are browned.
3 Add the sausage and seasonings and continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes more, then add the reserved chicken meat, rice, and reserved broth. Mix gently.
4 Raise heat to high and bring to boil. Place covered pot in preheated 325° oven and cook for 45 minutes. Then remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes covered. Then uncover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes more if needed. Stir frequently as the rice dries out. Remove bay leaves, and serve immediately.
***Cooking Tips--
1. As an alternative to boiling the chicken (and getting the stock), you can do this instead. Cut the chicken into pieces (then rinse and thoroughly dry them). Then heat 2 Tbs of vegetable oil in the pot on high heat. Brown the chicken in the oil, turning frequently. As the pieces brown, remove them to a platter. When all the chicken is browned, let cool and remove meat from bones. Then move to step two. This technique gives you great fond, but you lose the fresh chicken broth.
2. If cooking the day ahead, add water (or reserved broth) when reheating to keep from drying.
3. Save reserved broth for soups and other dishes.
