Natchez Jambalaya (****)

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Can assemble day before or early in the day of serving and finish in the oven when ready.

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  • 12

Ingredients

  • 6 Tbsp. veggie oil
  • 1 lb. smoked or Cajun sausage (such as Andouille) cut into 1/2" thick slices
  • 3 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts or thighs (or mix), cut into 3" pieces
  • 1 tsp. cayenne
  • 3 lg. celery stick, thinly sliced
  • 2 lg. green onions, coarsely chopped (plus more for garnish, thinly sliced)
  • 2 lg. green bell peppers, cut into 3/4" dice
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. dried thyme, crumbled
  • 3 c. long grain rice
  • 3-16 oz. can Italian plum tomatoes
  • 1 - 3 1/2 c. chicken stock
  • 2 c. bottled clam juice
  • 1 lb. med. shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • Hot pepper sauce (tabasco)
  • Salt

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and sauté until brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to bowl using slotted spoon; reserve sausage drippings. Sprinkle both sides of chicken pieces with cayenne pepper. Add to skillet and sauté until brown and cooked through, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes (DO NOT COOK TOO LONG - maybe a bit underdone).

Transfer chicken to bowl with sausage.

Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over med. heat. Add celery, onions and bell peppers and cook until onions are transparent, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in thyme. Add rice to skillet and stir until coated with oil. Divide rice mix between 2 9x13" baking dishes. Cover with foil.

(Can be made to this point 1 day ahead. Refrigerate rice, chicken and sausage separately. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 350. Drain juices from 1 tomato can; place tomatoes in heavy large saucepan. Add remaining tomatoes w/ their juices, 2 c. chicken stock and clam juice. Bring to boil, breaking up tomatoes w/spoon. Divide between baking dishes of rice. Cover with foil & bake 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and arrange shrimp, sausage and chicken over rice. If rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add 3/4 c. more chicken stock to each baking dish. Cover and bake until rice is tender, shrimp are cooked through and chicken is hot, about 15 minutes.

Season w/hot pepper sauce and salt. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle w/green onions.

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