Shea's Jambalaya Recipe

Prepare the meat and veggies by cutting the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, and either cutting the cured andouille sausage into 1-inch-thick coins or removing the casing from fresh andouille sausage and rolling the meat into 1-inch meatballs.** Then, dice the white onion, celery, bell peppers, poblano, and jalapeno and mince the garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and chicken, adding 1 teaspoon of salt to season the chicken. Work in batches as needed to not overcrowd the pan, allowing the meat to sear until golden on the outside and slightly pink in the middle—about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the final 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan, then add the onion, celery, bell pepper, poblano, jalapeno, and garlic along with the last 1 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until the onions are tender, 8-10 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the tomato paste and Creole seasoning, then cook until very fragrant and the sugars from the tomato paste have begun to caramelize slightly. Add the rice and stir to combine, then add the bay leaves and chicken stock. Add the sausage and chicken back to the pan, then bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed—about 30-35 minutes. Do not stir or otherwise disturb the rice while it cooks.

If using frozen shrimp, be sure to thaw completely. Toss the shrimp with the final 1 teaspoon salt, then add them to the pan, cover, and allow to cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the shrimp is tender, pink, and cooked through. Top with handfuls of flatleaf parsley. Serve the jambalaya in big spoonfuls, ensuring there’s plenty of sausage, chicken, and shrimp on every plate.