Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. A one pot meal . Chicken, sausage, vegetables and rice seasoned with Cajun seasoning, cooked in a cast iron skillet
Abiding by my grandmother’s teaching to make good with what you’ve got, all the ingredients for Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya miraculously reported for duty. That’s the way it happened in my fantasy world. In my real world, I pulled chicken and Conecuh sausage from the refrigerator. In my produce crisper, I still had all the ingredients I needed for the Trinity (onion, bell pepper, celery) which Sam bought for me in preparation for Seafood Gumbo. Basmati rice is a staple in my kitchen. Sounds like I might be whipping up a little Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya from things I have on hand. That’s the very essence of Cajun and Southern foods and exactly the purpose of so many of the traditional dishes. Both cuisines are efficient and sensible. This dish would never win a beauty contest, not traditional Jambalaya anyway. The creation came long before people ever thought about taking pictures of their food to show off to the whole big world. It’s not colorful at all. The idea of making food visually appealing was less important to folks who’d been hungry all day long. Cajuns and Southerners have long histories of staring poverty square in the eyeballs.
As much as I love to support local anything, I buy Basmati rice which is a product of India. For long grain white rice, it’s my favorite. The buttery flavor and the texture is superb to domestic white rice. That’s just my opinion but since I’m the one hosting Cousin Jambalaya during their visit to my house, I get to pick the rice. I pick Basmati. To make it more cost efficient, we buy in bulk (20 pounds) from Costco. If that’s way more rice than you can tolerate or store at one time, go in with your brother-in-law and neighbor and split it.
Since I’m only cooking for two, we will not be able to eat this whole dish in one sitting. That means I will have leftover Seafood Gumbo and Jambalaya in my fridge. A Southern cook without any noticeable evidence of traditional Southern dishes, only Cajun. Does this mean I’m not being true to my heritage? Quite the contrary. I’m warmly welcoming a relative into my home. That’s the way I was raised.
For another chicken and rice dish that native to another culture , check out this Nigerian dish called Jollof Rice and Chicken .
Y’all come see us!
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
yield: 5 to 6 servngs
I used raw chicken drumsticks and browned them. They finished cooking with the rest of the ingredients. You can use an equivalent amount of leftover fully cooked chicken. Add it to the skillet just before the stock and stir. Conecuh sausage is decidedly country and not Cajun but it’s our favorite sausage. Substitute andouille sausage or a combination of Conecuh and andouille. Chicken must be cooked to internal temperature of 165 degrees.
cooking oil
5 chicken drumsticks
salt and pepper
1 large sweet onion , diced
1 large bell pepper,diced, any color, or use an equivalent amount of small bell peppers
3 stalks celery, diced
cooking oil, if needed
8 oz. Conecuh Original Smoked Sausage, cubed
2 cups Basmati rice, uncooked ( or any long grain white rice)
1 quart chicken stock
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning of your choice
Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet to medium high. Coat the bottom with cooking oil.
Salt and pepper the drumsticks. After the skillet is heated, add the chicken and brown well on all sides. No need to cook thoroughly. The chicken will finish cooking in the skillet later. When browned, remove and set aside.
Add onion, bell pepper and celery to the hot skillet. Add more oil if necessary. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Add sausage and cook until heated and the sausage starts to render fat.
Add rice to skillet and stir well. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until most of the juices are absorbed.
Add chicken stock and Cajun seasoning. Stir well.
Return chicken drumsticks, and its juices, to the skillet.
Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook 15 minutes or until most of the cooking liquid is absorbed by the rice.
Remove from heat, keep covered and let sit for 10 minutes for the rice to completely absorb all the liquid.
Serve warm.
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Ingredients
- Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
- yield: 5 to 6 servngs
- I used raw chicken drumsticks and browned them. They finished cooking with the rest of the ingredients. You can use an equivalent amount of leftover fully cooked chicken. Add it to the skillet just before the stock and stir. Conecuh sausage is decidedly country and not Cajun but it's our favorite sausage. Substitute andouille sausage or a combination of Conecuh and andouille. Chicken must be cooked to internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- cooking oil
- 5 chicken drumsticks
- salt and pepper
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 1 large bell pepper diced, any color, or use an equivalent amount of small bell peppers
- 3 stalks celery diced
- cooking oil if needed
- 8 oz. Conecuh Original Smoked Sausage cubed
- 2 cups Basmati rice uncooked ( or any long grain white rice)
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning of your choice
Instructions
- Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet to medium high. Coat the bottom with cooking oil.
- Salt and pepper the drumsticks. After the skillet is heated, add the chicken and brown well on all sides. No need to cool thoroughly. The chicken will finish cooking in the skillet later. When browned, remove and set aside.
- Add onion, bell pepper and celery to the hot skillet. Add more oil if necessary. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
- Add sausage and cook until heated and the sausage starts to render fat.
- Add rice to skillet and stir well. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until most of the juices are absorbed.
- Add chicken stock and Cajun seasoning. Stir well.
- Return chicken drumsticks, and its juices, to the skillet.
- Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook 15 minutes or until most of the cooking liquid is absorbed by the rice.
- Remove from heat, keep covered and let sit for 10 minutes for the rice to completely absorb all the liquid.
- Serve warm.
Mary says
Another dish to please on a cold winter day!! I agree with you about the basmati rice (I really don’t like rice – but basmati & jasmine are soooooo good). Don’t like green peppers, but will sub with red, orange or yellow. I did find both brands of sausage here in Memphis…thrilled to death!! Can’t wait to make this with some buttermilk cornbread!! Thanks for sharing.
Jackie Garvin says
You are so welcome, Mary. I hope you enjoy it!
chrisannee says
You are my inspiration! Tonight when I was trying to decide what to cook I kept hearing you in the back of my mind saying “use what you got.” I actually read this post yesterday and didn’t think I had the stuff to make it. Well, I used what I had and cooked a sort of Chinese chicken, vegetables and rice that was REALLY good (I should have taken pictures!) and I figured out with just a few adjustments I can make your Jambalaya tomorrow night using what I got 🙂
chrisannee says
I could have swore I read this yesterday… okay, I guess I read it in my email earlier after I got off work 🙂
Sue, a Florida Farm Girl says
Uh huh. This sounds better. Actually chicken and sausage gumbo is good too. Just not a fan of those shellfish things.
Jackie Garvin says
Sue,
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is good! Actually, I put sausage in all my gumbos, even with the shellfish things!
Dave at eRecipeCards says
Greetings. This is my first time on your blog, but you have a terrific one. I am always on the look out for new blogs, new ideas. I especially appreciate all the details you d0. Great photos makes it seem like anyone can replicate the recipe!
I am asking, would you please consider posting a few of your favorite recipes on erecipecards.com
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It is a tool for bloggers to see and to be seen. Your posts would fit in perfectly.
in addition, all photos, recipe titles as well as your blog name would link directly back to your blog. Thus giving you new attention and potentially new readers.
Or, if you just want to take a look at a lot of fellow food bloggers all in one place. A great learning experience to get ideas about how to establish your own blogging voice!
Please take a look. If you have any ideas or questions, please do not hesitate to write
Dave
http://erecipecards.com/
[email protected]
Amie Throndson (@samsclubamie) says
Your jambalaya looks amazing! Although the rice debate may be a sensitive one with your cousin, I’m sure if it tastes as good as it looks, they won’t mind. – Amie from Sam’s Club
Jackie Garvin says
Amie,
Thanks for stopping by. Sam’s Cub is the ONLY place I buy my 15 pound bags of basmati rice!
grace says
sadly, i’ve yet to come across a piece of seafood that i find enjoyable, so i’m always excited to see jambalaya recipes eschewing the stuff. this looks like a real pleaser–thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
Grace,
I had to learn to love seafood. We didn’t eat a tremendous amount of it growing up. What we did eat was mostly fried fish caught by a neighbor and given to my grandmother. Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya is a good go to dish. Easy, economical and satisfying. Thanks for stopping by, Grace!
Drick Perry (@drickp) says
one of my favorite foods, and ya done it right, rice looks perfect… so glad to here from a Mobilian, I got your email and I thank you… I think your idea is grand, right now I am in the middle of a football theme giveaway of my own, lasting throughout the season… I am hoping to do a revised edition of that book and would love to take you up on your offer…
Jackie Garvin says
Hi Drick! Thanks for stopping by! Your current giveaway looks very well thought out and should generate a lot of interest. Are you wanting to wait to do the revised edition of your cookbook before I feature it in my giveaway?
Mary at Deep South Dish says
Mighty fine Jackie!
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Miss Mary!
Krista says
My husband would love this! Thanks for sharing at Church Supper! Have a blessed week.
Jackie Garvin says
Krista,
I hope you give it a try. It really is a great dish. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
sandradavisalltheway says
This dish is on the stove now!!! It tastes great and smells wonderful!! Thanks my friend.
Jackie Garvin says
Enjoy, Sandra!