Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya - adaptation for kids too
I was born in Metairie, Louisiana which is the equivalent of being from South San Francisco. If you’ve ever flown to New Orleans then you have passed through Louis Armstrong Airport in Metairie. The drive-thru Daiquiri stands, pull up Sno-Ball shacks and Po-boy shops are a sure tell that you’re not in California anymore. But you knew that as soon as you got off the plane and were slapped with the NOLA humidity followed by the chill of good old fashioned A/C.
But I digress… known for its incredible food and bustling music scene, New Orleans is truly the never ending party that actually makes you want to stay up all night. We moved to California when I was quite young but I spent every summer with my Father, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles. I remember having coffee and biscuits for breakfast every morning from my earliest memories. Sitting around the table cracking blue crabs with the back of butter knives and peeling all the leftover shrimp and crawfish from the boil to use in monica sauce and omelettes the next day.
With many friends who love New Orleans from their yearly pilgrimage to Jazz Fest and bachelor/ette trips, I find Jambalaya is one of their favorites. Great as a side dish or main course this one skillet meal is actually a fairly easy fix and forget dinner. I also have made adjustments to the recipe for a kids version which won’t set their little mouths on fire. You can find the adaptations below this more authentic version.
Unlike the mirepoix of France, the trinity of Cajun food is onion, celery and green bell pepper. Chopping these three as well as some garlic is often the bulkiest part of the prep time. A cajun spice mix also often has the trinity of peppers: black (the nose), red (the heat) and white (the creeper). I originally adapted this recipe from Paul Prudhomme but when I look at the recipe now I realize I’ve changed it so much that it hardly looks like his. I enjoy his combination of spices so I mostly look at his spice mix and then cut the peppers in more than half which is still incredibly spicy. It may take some playing around to find the right mix for your family. I like the spice that creeps up from behind and builds while you keep eating the dish, which is what you will get with this recipe.
Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya
Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time : 1 hour Servings : 6-8
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 chicken breasts - chopped into chunks
1 pack of Andouille Sausage - cut into coins
1 large onion finely chopped
4 stalks of celery finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper finely chopped
4 toes of garlic minced (toes mean cloves in Louisiana)
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can whole tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups rice
Preheat oven to 350. Heat cast iron skillet to med-high. This is where I set up my food processor so I can chop veggies while the meat cooks. Brown your sausage on both sides. This will render some fat. Remove sausage from pan and cook chicken in the fat rendered. Brown on all side just until the pink is gone. Remove Chicken and add olive oil.
Add onion for about three minutes followed with celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook down until soft for 5-10 minutes and then add your spices. Many cajun dishes have this step so there is a few minutes for the spices to toast and bloom. Add the can of tomatoes by draining the sauce into the pan either by crushing the tomatoes with your hand (lazy) or giving them a coarse chop (rustic). Add the chicken and sausage back to the pan. After a few minutes remove from heat. Add the rice and broth and bake in the oven for about an hour.
Pairs really nicely with a gewurz, riesling or any other high acid white wine. Or an Abita amber obviously.
Jambalaya For Kids - sub chicken apple sausage
Sweeter sausage, tomato sauce in place of tomatoes and large reduction in spices but hold the same New Orleans flavor. My littles love it.
Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time : 1 hour Servings : 6-8
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 chicken breasts - chopped into chunks
1 pack of Chicken Apple Sausage - cut into coins
1 large onion finely chopped
3 stalks of Celery finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper finely chopped
4 toes of garlic minced
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne)
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups rice
Preheat oven to 350. Heat cast iron skillet (or any oven friendly pan) to med-high. This is where I set up my food processor so I can chop veggies while the meat cooks. Brown your sausage on both sides. This may render some fat. Remove sausage from pan and cook chicken in the fat rendered. Brown on all side just until the pink is gone. Remove Chicken and add olive oil.
Add onion for about three minutes and then follow with celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook these down together until soft for 5-10 minutes and then add your spices. Many cajun dishes have this step so there is a few minutes for the spices to toast and bloom. Add the can of tomato sauce. Add chicken and sausage back to the pan. After a few minutes remove from heat. Add the rice and broth and bake in the oven for about an hour.
