SHUT THE FFFRONT DOOR - SAUSAGE CHICKEN JAMBALAYA

Shut the FFFront Door - Sausage Chicken Jambalaya image

I have a new appreciation of andouille sausage! It's a real star in this scrumptious recipe.

Provided by Sue Weaver

Time 1h30m

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 c chopped onions (1 very large or 2 med)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1 c celery stalks (diced) whatever size you like
3 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground pepper (several twists of the pepper grinder)
3 bay leaves
3 c brown rice (uncooked)
6 c liquid (i use a combo of 2 c water, 2 c. chicken stock, 1 can fire roasted tomatoes plus some broth from chicken (or you can use 6 cups water, or any combination that = 6 cups )
1 lb andouille sausage cut into 1/4 inch slices and then cut again. andouille is a little spicier than regular sausage, it's cajun. other options include: chorizo (mexican) or a kielbasa type sausage or turkey sausage. not like summer sausage.
3 - 4 c or about 1.5 pounds of your choice of chicken meat (1 inch cubes)
1 bunch green onions chopped
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 can(s) 14.5 oz diced fire roasted tomatoes with liquid

Steps:

1. Prep the meats. Cut sausage into 1/4" slices and then into fourths. Chicken should be cut into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces. If you have time and would like to slow-cook the chicken on the bone for more flavor prior to incorporating it into the jambalaya, please see step 6.
2. Dice Onion, Dice peppers, Dice celery Heat the oil in a LARGE cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy chili type pot over MEDIUM heat. Add the onions, peppers and celery to the oil. Add 2 tsp of the salt and 1 tsp of the cayenne pepper. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for 15-20 minutes or until caramelized and a dark brown in color. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles.
3. Add the sausage and cook for about 10 minutes or so. Continue to scrape the bottom and sides to pick up the brown bits. If the pan gets super dry and everything begins to stick, add another Tbsp of oil. Season the chicken with the remaining 1 tsp of salt and remaining 1/4 tsp cayenne. Add the chicken and the bay leaves to the pot. If your chicken is mostly cooked already (before putting it into the pot) then this next step will only be a blending step. If the chicken is raw, add to the veggie sausage mixture and cook on medium for 8 - 10 minutes. (Step 6 outlines an optional cooking method for the chicken)
4. Add the 3 Cups of brown (uncooked)rice. Blend the rice into the mixture until coated with all of the great ingredients. (and evenly coated) Add the 6 cups of liquid. (all water, or a combination of water, stock, broth, etc...) Remember, you can count the liquid in the can of tomatoes as part of your 6 cups. Add tomatoes at this time as well. Cover and cook on medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand covered for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the green onions and parsley.
5. Serve with some nice french bread or rolls. Hot sauce should be on hand for those who like things spicier. If the dish is too spicy for you, cut back on the Cayenne pepper, or adjust upward if you like it spicier.
6. Optional: I like the flavor and texture of chicken that is cooked a bit slower on the bone. So,this is what I did: I took 3 huge breasts on the bone with skin and cooked them in slow cooker 2 hrs on high with the can of fire roasted tomatoes on top. After 2 hours I took the meat off the bones and discarded the skin and bones, cut up the meat and set it aside. The meat will continue to cook in the pot when incorporated into the jambalaya so dont cook it too long in the slow cooker.(about 4 cups of meat) Take a potato masher and mash the tomatoes in the chicken broth created in the crock pot. Pour broth and tomatoes into a two cup measuring cup. Skim off as much fat as you can. (I used a paper towel) Use this mixture as part of your 6 cups of liquid.