I first discovered Jambalaya at a restaurant in New Orleans on my honeymoon. It was love at first bite! The Cajun seasonings that were new to me then have now become my favorite comfort food. After we got home, my husband and I started recipe testing, and this jambalaya recipe is the delightful result. When we had our first daughter, it became her favorite as well. At 18-months old she would clean her plate and ask for “more jambie-lee-a-lee.” She’s a teenager now and we still tease her and call it that.
Rice
Rice is the base for this dish. It wouldn’t be jambalaya without it. It soaks in the seasonings and flavors as the jambalaya cooks. I prefer to use jasmine white rice, but long grain rice also works well.
Meats
Chicken: Cut the boneless skinless chicken breasts into even, bite-size pieces. Polska kielbasa: Slice into pieces about ½ inch thick. Make sure they are cut evenly for the cooking process. This sausage is a thick, round sausage that comes packaged in a U shape. You can also use andouille sausage or another type of sausage ring. Shrimp: Uncooked, peeled, and deveined large shrimp give this dish an extra boost.
Pick your protein. Feel free to use all of the meats like chicken, pork, and shrimp or just one or two of them depending on your taste. Spice it up. I love adding a good amount of Tabasco at the end to spice things up a bit but if Tabasco is a bit much for you, just leave it out. Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes also help add heat. Throw in some color. I like to add several colors of peppers into my Jambalaya dish since the red, yellow, orange, and green colors of those peppers make it seem much more festive. Check the texture. If the rice seems too dry when you’re done cooking or if it seems too pasty, just add a bit more chicken broth. Give it some garnish. This dish is so colorful, it doesn’t need much, but some sliced green onion or chopped parsley adds a beautiful bright green to top it off. When making Jambalaya, the rice is simmered with all the ingredients in a pot. As the rice cooks, it soaks up the liquids, as well as the flavors, and colors of the seasonings. Gumbo is prepared as a stew. The rice is cooked separately, and the gumbo is served over the rice. We want to hear from you! Please leave a review. Rate and Review
