Shelly's Recipe

SHRIMP AND CHICKEN JAMBALAYA

Category: Rice/Risotto

3 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 lb chicken, meat, sliced 1/2-inch thick
Salt as needed
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
1 lb andouille sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 cups minced yellow onion
2 cups diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups diced celery
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded, juice reserved
3 cups chicken broth or as needed
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup basil chiffonade
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp Tabasco
30 shrimp, 21 to 25 count, peeled and deveined
4 cups cooked short-grain rice
1 cup sliced scallions, white and green portions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until it shimmers. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and then sear in the hot oil, turning as necessary, until golden on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate or pan. Add the sausages to the pan and continue to saute until they are lightly browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the same plate or pan as the chicken and reserve.

Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, paprika, cayenne, and white pepper to the Dutch oven and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to release some of their juices and are beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and simmer briefly. Add the broth and bay leaf and bring the jambalaya to a simmer. Cover the Dutch oven and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost completely tender, 15 minutes.

Return the browned chicken and sausage to the Dutch oven, along with any juices they may have released. Add the basil, thyme, and Tabasco, and return to a simmer over low heat until flavorful, about10 minutes. Add the shrimp to the jambalaya and simmer until the shrimp are cooked all the way through, 5 minutes.

Add the cooked rice and mix well. Serve the jambalaya in heated bowls, topped with the green onion. Serves 8