Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a famous spicy Creole dish from the American state of Louisiana — a flavorful mixture of rice, meat and seafood.
Ingredients
- 2 tbspvegetable oil
- 300 gchicken fillet
- 200 gsmoked andouille sausage
- 1 onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 stalkscelery
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 2 cuplong-grain rice
- 400 gcanned chopped tomatoes
- 3 cupchicken broth
- 2 tbspCreole seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 300 gpeeled shrimp
- 2 scallions
1 cup = 240 ml
Method
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and sausage and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes until golden. Place the meat on a plate.
- In the same pan, fry the onion, bell pepper and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the rice, tomatoes, chicken broth, Creole seasoning and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Return the chicken and sausage to the pot and add the shrimp. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
- Remove from heat, remove bay leaves. Add green onions, salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
FAQ
Creole jambalaya (New Orleans style) includes tomatoes and often seafood — it has a red, saucy appearance. Cajun jambalaya has no tomatoes, is drier and smokier, and typically uses only meat. This recipe is Creole style.
Yes — simply leave them out or replace with more chicken, smoked sausage, or even crayfish tails. The dish won't lose its character. If you skip shrimp, add them last anyway since they cook in just 3–4 minutes and overcooking makes them rubbery.
Long-grain rice — jasmine or regular long-grain. It stays separate and doesn't turn mushy. Avoid short-grain rice (sushi or risotto rice) — it will make the dish stodgy. Parboiled rice also works well and is very forgiving.
Two common reasons: too much liquid, or lifting the lid while the rice cooks. Once you add the rice, don't stir it and don't open the lid for the first 20 minutes. Trust the process — the steam does the work.
Yes — it actually tastes better the next day as the spices deepen. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a couple of tablespoons of water or broth, stirring gently. Don't add the shrimp until reheating if making ahead — they'll be overcooked otherwise.
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Comments (1)
Rinse the rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear for jambalaya. This removes excess surface starch that causes clumping and gluey texture. Two minutes of rinsing, dramatically different results.