The Collegio Pittsburg's student voice since 1916
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1-pound sausage sliced into rounds
1/2 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 ounces can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white rice
Instructions:
Begin by cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces (about 1/2-inch cuts) and season the pieces with one tablespoon of Cajun seasoning.
Next, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet and oil have heated, add the chicken to the pan. Cook the chicken pieces until they have browned on all sides, this may take approximately five to seven minutes. Once the chicken is browned, transfer it to a plate and set it aside.
Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet and add in the sausage. Cook the sausage until it is browned then transfer it to the plate with the chicken.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet to cook the vegetables. Add in onion, celery and bell pepper. Season the ingredients with salt and pepper, then sauté them until they are softened. Add in the garlic and cook it together for an additional minute.
Next, stir in the crushed tomatoes, one tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, oregano, chicken broth and rice.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cover the skillet and cook everything for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice has cooked and the liquid has absorbed. Once the rice has cooked, stir in the sausage and chicken and cook it all together until everything is heated through.
Finally, give the jambalaya a thorough stir, season with salt and pepper, then serve and enjoy.
Commentary:
I made chicken and sausage jambalaya for my brother and friends and it was eaten up. This recipe of the popular Louisiana dish is really easy to make and requires relatively few ingredients.
You can also add or substitute the ingredients for what you have at home already or what you prefer. I sometimes add okra to the jambalaya which you can just buy frozen or in a can, but you can add whatever veggies you like. Alternatively, you can take away any ingredients you want. However, if you want to remove some of the vegetables, I recommend keeping the tomatoes as they add some of the moisture to the dish.
You can also season the jambalaya with more seasonings to make it spicier if you want. If you like spice, you can also add one or two jalapenos with the vegetables when you cook the jambalaya.
If you don’t have many spices or rice, you can buy jambalaya rice mix at the store. The mix has tons of flavor and cuts down on the number of ingredients and spices you need. There are also a few varieties with different flavors so you can choose one that sounds good to you.