Jambalaya

This is a favorite in our house. It's one of those meals that everyone is always excited about. It is so full of flavor and actually rather healthy. Another thing I love about Jambalaya is that everything can be thrown in the crock-pot in the morning - making it a perfect weeknight meal.

Mardi Gras is right around the corner too... I often serve this on Fat Tuesday with King Cake for dessert (I'll share King Cake soon). Always a fun evening for our family! I'm a big fan of celebrating just about anything. Any type of holiday (traditional or more obscure) gives me a reason to add a little something extra to the day, and my family is usually entertained. They truly are very good sports when it comes to trying all of my creations (experiments).

Jambalaya

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled tails off

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into approx 1 inch pieces

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced to 1/4 inch and then halved (or 1/2 inch cubes)

1 onion, chopped

2 to 3 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (or a generous cup chopped fresh tomato)

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 teaspoons thyme

3 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons flour

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped green onions/chives (for garnish)

2 cups rice, cooked

Drizzle olive oil in bottom of crock-pot. Whisk flour with about 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Add all ingredients & seasonings except for shrimp, green onions, and rice. Add flour mixture and stir in crock-pot to mix everything together. Put the lid on and enjoy your day! Cook in crock pot on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours. Add the shrimp for the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time.

If you don't have a crock pot, you could also make this on your stove top in a large stock pot on medium-high heat. Add olive oil to stock pot, add chicken and brown. Add veggies and seasonings and cook until softened. Add 2 tablespoons butter and flour to make a roux. Pour in the chicken broth. Add the andouille sausage and stir everything together. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer for another 10 minutes until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serve jambalaya over rice. I garnish with green onion and/or parsley and serve with warm corn bread. 

Enjoy!