I’ve been promising my husband for months now that I’m going to make Jambalaya. With his birthday (and Mardi Gras) last week, it was finally time to make good on that promise. I’ve only tried to make jambalaya once before, years ago. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favourite, which is probably why I’ve been hesitant to make it again. It just seemed like a lot of work and a lot of expense (there’s a lot of meat in this dish) for something I wasn’t crazy about. This time I did my research and am proud to say I will definitely be making jambalaya again. Meaty, spicy, savoury and comforting, jambalaya has a lot going on. It’s entirely worth the effort and expense.
Jambalaya came from humble beginnings and was originally considered a dish to which any leftovers could be added. You can use just about any type of meat you like, but typically andouille or another variety of smoked sausage is included. I’ve chosen to use chorizo. I love the flavour of it and it’s more readily available to me than andouille. Just as there are a few different theories on it’s origins, there are also a few different methods to prepare it. Based on what I’ve read I would consider this recipe to be characteristic of the city creole jambalaya. Β Enjoy!
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Lbs chorizo sausage
1 Lbs chicken breast
1 Lbs prawns (or shrimp)
1 1/2 Cups onion, diced
1 Cup celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp smoked paprika
4 Cups chicken stock
2 – 398mL cans of diced tomatoes
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp thyme
pinch of cayenne
3/4 Cup uncooked rice
1 large green pepper, diced
1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Begin by removing the chorizo from it’s casing. Cut the sausage and chicken into bite size pieces. In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and chicken and cook for a few minutes until beginning to brown. Add the onions, celery and garlic and cook for a few minutes longer until the veggies begin to sweat. Stir in the paprika and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Then stir in the stock, diced tomatoes, cayenne, thyme and bay. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Continue simmering for 30 minutes. Stir in the rice and continue simmering for another 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked. Stir in the prawns and green pepper and simmer for a final few minutes until the prawns are cooked through. Stir in the parsley right before serving. Serves 4 – 6.
Love jambalaya and this recipe looks so yummy!
Thank you π
Love Jambalaya but have never actually made it myself. I like your use of chorizo, I love it too. Your recipe sounds wonderful.
Thank you, Suzanne π
I love jambalaya but have never made it. I know my hubby and I would love this.
Embarrassed to admit I only tried Jambalaya for the first time last night, but now I’m quite excited to try making it myself, so thank you for sharing what looks like a great recipe. P.S. – I love randomly finding bloggers also from the Vancouver area
Neat, someone else from Vancouver. Now I won’t feel so bad talking about the amazing weather we’re having. I hope you try making Jambalaya. I found it a bit daunting at first, but it came together quite easily. Good luck with your cooking adventures. Jamie Oliver is one of my favourite chefs, too. I love how approachable his recipes are π
Thanks, Natalie. I’ll probably start looking towards more complex dishes soon (moving from Jamie Oliver to something like “The Dirty Apron”), but he’s got enough dishes to keep me experimenting for a long time
I love this all in one kind of meal especially when you can substitute ingredients to your taste. Chorizo is spicier and I always prefer to use that π
This looks so hearty and inviting. The flavours sounds delicious with the chorizo base! π
Thank you π We really enjoyed it.
Pingback: Fiesta Friday #57 | The Novice Gardener
Pingback: Fiesta Friday #57 | The Novice Gardener
This looks and sounds wonderful! I made jambalaya a long time ago, but you have inspired me to make it again very soon! π
Oh, I hope you do. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic when I started cooking it, but it turned out really well. We were fighting over leftovers the next day, lol.
Ive heard a lot about jamabalaya but never made it. Your version looks really nice.
Thank you. We really enjoyed it π
Yum! This looks delicious!
thank you π
Love jambalaya, and yours looks delicious!
Came to check out the recipe… looks really good! Keeping this close by for my husband.
Thanks, Annika!!