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Louisiana jambalaya
Creole 'red' jambalaya with chicken, smoked sausage and prawns
Jambalaya feeds crowds at church fairs and Mardi Gras parties all over south Louisiana, from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. This is the Creole or 'red' style from the city, with tomato in the pot; the Cajun country version leaves it out. Chicken thighs and smoked andouille (a pork sausage) are browned first, then rice cooks in the spiced tomato stock with the holy trinity, and prawns go in at the end. Chef's tip: once the rice is in, resist stirring; just turn it once halfway so the bottom does not catch.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the jambalaya
To finish
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown 9 oz andouille or smoked pork sausage for 4 minutes and lift out. Add 1 ⅛ lb boneless chicken thighs and brown for 5 minutes, turning, then lift out too.
10 minStep 2: Lower the heat to medium, add 1 onion, 2 sticks celery and 1 green pepper and cook for 7 minutes until soft. Stir in 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning, 1 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves for 1 minute.
8 minStep 3: Add 14 oz chopped tomatoes and 3 ¼ cups chicken stock, return the chicken and sausage and bring to the boil. Stir in 12 ½ oz long-grain white rice, return to a simmer, then cover tightly and turn the heat to low.
5 minStep 4: Cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid except once, after 10 minutes, to turn the rice gently from the bottom. A common mistake is stirring constantly, which makes it gluey.
20 minStep 5: Scatter 10 ½ oz raw prawns over the top, cover and cook for 5–7 minutes more until the rice is tender, the liquid absorbed and the prawns pink and opaque all through. The chicken should be cooked to 165°F.
7 minStep 6: Rest off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes. Season with ½ tsp salt, remove the bay leaves and fold in 4 spring onions and 1 handful parsley. Serve with 1 tsp hot sauce on the side.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does louisiana jambalaya take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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