Weeknight Jambalaya

Weeknight Jambalaya

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 ounces precooked andouille, sliced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick rounds
1 medium red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large stalk celery, chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/4 teaspoon each of marjoram, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary and sage (or a couple of teaspoons poultry seasoning)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bunch scallions, chopped, for serving (they are a must-have with this!)

Method

Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Place chicken in the pan and brown for 2 to 3 minutes*, until the chicken has given up a bit of its fat, and you can move the pieces around the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes, then add the sausage, and cook 2 minutes more.

Add onion, bell pepper, celery, bay leaves, Louisiana hot sauce and cayenne. Saute 5 to 6 minutes, until vegetables are just soft. Stir in tomatoes, stock, cumin, ancho chili powder, herbs, Worcestershire and salt. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is desired consistency.

Remove bay leaves and serve immediately over cooked rice, with chopped scallions and more hot sauce at the table.

(*If using chicken breast, add a couple of teaspoons of oil first; thighs already have just enough fat around the edges to get the job done. Combined with the fat from the andouille, it then provides all the oil I need to saute the vegetables.)

NOTES

This was a spontaneous riff on an old quickie jambalaya I used to make that got pushed aside once I found this amazing oven baked version. However, as much as we like that more recent dish, it's definitely more of a lengthy weekend evening endeavor. Enter this revised one-pot wonder.

It's straightforward, quick (with prep time, easily 30 minutes or less, depending upon your experience) and, frankly, it tastes amazing.