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Weeknight Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya

Source of Recipe

From "Secrets of the Southern Table" by Virginia Willis


Recipe Introduction

"Jambalaya traditionally contains sausage of some sort, often a smoked sausage such as andouille, along with some other meat or seafood, frequently pork, chicken, crawfish, or shrimp. Andouille is a coarse-grained smoked sausage made using smoked pork shoulder, garlic, pepper, onions, wine, and seasonings. The vegetable base is a combination of onion, celery, and green bell pepper known as the 'holy trinity.' I find that green bell peppers can be difficult to digest, so I use poblano peppers instead. They are far more flavorful and complex and less likely to cause digestive distress. For generations, some of the most flavorful rice Americans have eaten has been Jasmine rice imported to the United States from Asia. Twelve years ago, the Louisiana State University AgCenter started a project to increase rice production in Louisiana, and the state is now the third largest rice-producing state in the United States."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
â—¦ 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
â—¦ 6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (2 pounds)
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
â—¦ 1 sweet onion, chopped
â—¦ 1 celery stalk, chopped
â—¦ 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
â—¦ 1 ½ cups long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati
â—¦ ½ cup tomato purée
â—¦ 2 ½ cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-sodium low-fat chicken broth
â—¦ Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Recipe

Heat the oven to 350° F.

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook until the meat starts to brown and the fat renders, 3 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate. Add the chicken and sprinkle the Creole seasoning over the chicken. Cook until the chicken is just beginning to color, 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the plate with the sausage.

Reduce the heat to medium and then add the onion, celery, and poblano pepper to the residual oil in the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the rice and stir to coat. Stir in the tomato purée and stock and bring to a boil. Return the chicken and sausage to the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, stirring once, until the rice is tender and the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with the tip of a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6