I love cooking for others. Sometimes, that means catering to dietary restrictions and/or food allergies. Whether I'm avoiding gluten or dairy or pork or seafood, this absolutely stunning jambalaya is perfect for sharing. What's more, leftovers are even better the next day!
This recipe calls for jalapeño turkey sausage because that's what I used. You could also use any other turkey or chicken sausage and if you wanted more heat, you could always opt to use a jalapeño pepper in the mix instead of a green bell pepper. Mix it up to suit your tastes. Likewise, I include a fair bit of garlic and fire-roasted tomatoes in this dish. If you want, you could reduce the garlic and opt for crushed tomatoes or the like. Make it yours.
I like to make a batch of cornbread to serve alongside this delicious meal. I also like to pour a chilled beer or cider because it just feels like the perfect combination. Find your perfect combination and enjoy!
All Poultry Jambalaya
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pound jalapeño turkey sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
- 3 small bell peppers, cored and diced (I used a yellow, red and green bell pepper)
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (include the juice!)
- 3–4 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups uncooked long grain white rice
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a very large, deep sauté pan or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sausage is lightly browned. Transfer them both to a clean plate; set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.
Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and cayenne pepper to the pan; stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is nearly cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes or so along the way so that the rice does not burn.
Stir in the chicken and sausage. Taste and season the jambalaya with salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning if needed. Remove from the heat and serve.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 50 minutes