Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

 

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. uncooked rice

3 c. chicken broth

14-16 oz. smoked sausage, sliced

1/2 lb. chicken breast, diced

1-2 Tbsp. oil

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. creole seasoning

14 oz. can diced tomatoes (undrained)

 

Directions

1.Bring 3 cups chicken broth to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add rice. Reduce heat to low, place lid on pan, and gently simmer for about 20 minutes, until rice is done. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before removing lid and fluffing rice with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil. Add sausage and chicken and cook until sausage is browned and chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. If needed, add more oil to the skillet. Put onion, garlic, red and green bell peppers, celery, and seasonings. Saute until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes and their liquid. Simmer for a couple minutes to heat through.

4. Once rice is finished cooking, add to skillet and stir until mixed in thoroughly with chicken, sausage, and vegetables. Ready to serve!

Notes: I was in the mood to try some jambalaya, so I went on the hunt for a good-looking recipe. We are not huge shrimp fans, so I opted for a combination of chicken and sausage. When looking for a recipe that called for both, what I found seemed a bit plain. So, I gathered ideas from several other recipes and made this up on the spot. It turned out really tasty! You could certainly make this with the traditional shrimp if you want. As I am posting this 5 months later, I think it's time to make it again.

Cajun Pasta Supper

Ingredients
8 oz. Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed or diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.6 oz) package PASTA RONI Garlic and Olive Oil with Vermicelli
8 oz uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning*
* Substitute: 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves, and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Cook and stir sausage and bell pepper in large skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until sausage is browned. Drain fat. Remove from skillet; set aside.
2. Add 1 1/2 cups water and tomatoes to same skillet; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta, Special Seasonings packet, shrimp and Cajun season; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Gently boil uncovered 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta is tender and shrimp turn pink, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in sausage mixture; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until heated through.

Notes: Serves 4. Like Homestyle Southwest Skillet that I posted last month, this is Pasta Roni with add-ins. We don't really like shrimp so we had it with just sausage, but I still liked it.

Source: I cut this off the side of a Pasta Roni box several years ago when I was in college.