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A one-pot celebration of Louisiana, where smoky andouille, tender chicken, and sweet Gulf shrimp mingle with spiced rice and the holy trinity. Bold, soulful, and built for feeding a crowd.
Start with the sausage. Good andouille carries smoke from pecan or oak, a kick of cayenne, and enough fat to perfume the entire pot. If you cannot find a Louisiana producer, seek out a local butcher who makes their own. The sausage sets the tone for everything that follows.
Jambalaya is a dish of economy and generosity at once. It evolved from Spanish paella by way of French colonists and the people of the Louisiana bayous who made do with what the land and water offered. Chicken from the yard, sausage from the smokehouse, shrimp from the Gulf. Rice stretched it all to feed whoever showed up.
The holy trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper is where Louisiana cooking begins. These three vegetables, sweated together until soft, create the aromatic foundation that distinguishes Creole and Cajun food from all others. Do not rush this step. Let the vegetables give up their moisture and deepen in flavor before you add anything else.
This is a potluck dish, a Sunday supper dish, a dish for when the family gathers. It asks only that you respect the sequence: build flavor in layers, let the rice absorb everything, and trust the pot to do its work.
Quantity
1 1/2 pounds
Quantity
1 pound
sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
Quantity
1 pound
shell-on
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 large
diced
Quantity
2
diced
Quantity
1 large
diced
Quantity
6 cloves
minced
Quantity
1 can (14.5 ounces)
Quantity
2 cups
Quantity
3 1/2 cups
preferably homemade
Quantity
2
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon, or to taste
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground
Quantity
4
sliced thin
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs | 1 1/2 pounds |
| andouille sausagesliced into 1/2-inch rounds | 1 pound |
| large shrimpshell-on | 1 pound |
| neutral oil or rendered bacon fat | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow oniondiced | 1 large |
| celery stalksdiced | 2 |
| green bell pepperdiced | 1 large |
| garlicminced | 6 cloves |
| crushed tomatoes | 1 can (14.5 ounces) |
| long-grain white rice | 2 cups |
| chicken stockpreferably homemade | 3 1/2 cups |
| bay leaves | 2 |
| Cajun seasoning | 1 tablespoon |
| smoked paprika | 1 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/2 teaspoon, or to taste |
| dried thyme | 1 teaspoon |
| dried oregano | 1 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1/2 teaspoon |
| green onionssliced thin | 4 |
| fresh flat-leaf parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
| hot sauce (optional) | for serving |
Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken skin-side down and let it cook undisturbed for five to six minutes until the skin turns deep golden and releases easily from the pot. Flip and brown the other side for three minutes more. Transfer to a plate. The fond left behind is flavor you are building.
Add the andouille slices to the same pot. Let them sizzle and render their fat, stirring occasionally, until the edges caramelize and the kitchen smells like Louisiana, about four minutes. The sausage will release more fond and fat that carries smoke and spice into every grain of rice. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the pot. This is the holy trinity of Cajun cooking, the aromatic base that gives jambalaya its soul. Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, eight to ten minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute more.
Stir in the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, and oregano. Let the spices bloom in the fat for thirty seconds, until the aroma deepens. Add the rice and stir to coat every grain with the spiced oil. Toast the rice for two minutes, stirring constantly. This step gives the finished dish that slightly nutty backbone.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Add the bay leaves and one teaspoon of salt. Stir everything together, scraping the bottom to release any remaining fond. Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the rice, skin-side up so they stay crisp. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for twenty minutes without lifting the lid. The rice needs undisturbed time to absorb the liquid.
Remove the lid. The rice should be nearly tender with a little liquid remaining. Scatter the andouille over the top. Tuck the shrimp into the rice, pressing them down gently so they make contact with the heat. Cover and cook for eight to ten minutes more, until the shrimp curl and turn pink and the rice is fully cooked.
Remove from heat and let the pot rest, covered, for five minutes. This allows the steam to redistribute and the flavors to settle. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt. Some like more cayenne; this is your pot. Scatter the green onions and parsley over the top. Serve directly from the pot with hot sauce on the side.
1 serving (about 340g)
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