# Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a Louisiana one-pot rice dish with chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp, cooked with onion, bell pepper, celery and Cajun spices. It is smoky, spicy and hearty, with every grain of rice soaking up flavor.

It all cooks in one pot, which makes cleanup easy and feeds a crowd with leftovers to spare.

- Total time: 1 h 5 min (prep 20 min, cook 45 min)
- Serves: 6
- Per serving (estimated): 600 kcal, 42 g protein
- Cuisine: American. Category: Main course. Diet: dairy-free, high-protein.

## Ingredients

- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 340 g andouille sausage, sliced
- 450 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice (about 300 g)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 340 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 scallions, sliced
- Hot sauce, to serve

## Method

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp at the edges. Move it to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. Season the chicken with 1 tbsp of the Cajun seasoning. Brown it in the pot 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until golden but not cooked through. Move it to the plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, pepper and celery and cook 5 to 6 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft.
4. Add the garlic, thyme and remaining Cajun seasoning and stir 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, broth and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
5. Stir in the rice, sausage and chicken. Return to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to the lowest setting.
6. Cook 20 minutes without lifting the lid, until the rice is nearly tender. Chicken should reach 165°F (74°C).
7. Lay the shrimp on top, cover, and cook 5 minutes, until pink and opaque. Turn off the heat and rest, covered, 5 minutes.
8. Remove the bay leaves. Fluff gently with a fork, fold in the scallions, and serve with hot sauce.

## Why it works

- Browning the sausage and chicken first builds a savory crust on the pot bottom, which seasons the whole dish.
- The onion, bell pepper and celery base sweetens as it cooks and lifts that browned flavor into the rice.
- Rice cooked directly in seasoned broth absorbs flavor instead of just water.
- Keeping the lid on and the heat low steams the rice evenly, so it stays fluffy.
- Adding the shrimp at the end cooks them gently in the steam, so they stay tender.

## The science

- **The trinity builds flavor.** Onion, bell pepper and celery are cooked slowly so their sugars release and soften. Scraping the browned bits from the pot into the vegetables dissolves the savory fond into the base, making everything taste more roasted and rounded.
- **Rice needs a closed lid.** Rice cooks by absorbing hot liquid and then finishing in steam. Lifting the lid lets steam escape and drops the temperature, so the top layer ends up hard and the bottom mushy. Keep the pot covered and the heat low.

## Tips

- Use a heavy pot with a tight lid so the steam stays in.
- Do not stir the rice once it is covered, because stirring makes it gummy.
- Taste your Cajun seasoning for salt, since brands vary, and adjust at the end.

## Mistakes to avoid

- Lifting the lid, which lets steam escape and cooks the rice unevenly, so keep it closed.
- Adding the shrimp too early, which makes them tough, so add them for the last 5 minutes only.
- Using too much liquid, which makes mushy rice, so measure the broth carefully.

## Variations and swaps

- Use all chicken or all sausage and skip the shrimp for a simpler version.
- Add a spoonful of tomato paste with the vegetables for a redder, Creole-style jambalaya.
- Make it spicier with cayenne or extra hot sauce.
- Swap andouille for smoked kielbasa or any smoked sausage.
- Swap chicken thighs for chicken breast, cut into larger chunks so it stays juicy.
- Swap Cajun seasoning for 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp cayenne.

## Storage

Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months, and reheat with a splash of broth to 165°F (74°C).

## FAQ

**What is the difference between jambalaya and gumbo?**

Jambalaya is a rice dish where the rice cooks with the meat in the pot. Gumbo is a stew made with a roux and served over rice.

**What is the difference between Cajun and Creole jambalaya?**

Creole jambalaya includes tomatoes and is redder, while Cajun jambalaya skips tomatoes and gets its color from browned meat. This recipe uses a little tomato for a middle ground.

**How do I keep jambalaya from getting mushy?**

Measure the rice and broth carefully, keep the lid on, and do not stir once it is covered. Let it rest 5 minutes at the end so the rice firms up.

**What sausage is best for jambalaya?**

Andouille is traditional because it is smoky and spicy. Smoked kielbasa or any firm smoked sausage is a good substitute.

**Can I make jambalaya ahead?**

Yes, the flavor improves overnight. Cook it fully, cool quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours, then reheat with a splash of broth until it reaches 165°F (74°C).

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Source: https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/jambalaya (Cooking Scientist). Learn the science of cooking in the Cooking Scientist app for iPhone and iPad: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6830326846