So apparently I have a secret obsession with Cajun food. An obsession that I didn’t even realize I had until now. This would be the third Cajun recipe after Shrimp and Grits and Gumbo that I posted since I started blogging. And that’s saying a lot since I have yet to post an Italian recipe even though Italian food makes up about 50% of my diet! Don’t judge!
If you take a look at my other Cajun recipes you will notice some major similarities. One of them is that I always use the combination of chicken, shrimp and sausage. I always felt like this trio is necessary for Cajun food and its just not the same without all three of them. Well, there’s no chicken in Shrimp and Grits but you get my point!
The trick is to cook the seasoned shrimp and sausage together. I don’t know why, but there is something about this flavor combination that I just loveee. I then cook the chicken in the juices from the shrimp and sausage to marry all the flavors together. That is pretty much the base for all of my Cajun dishes and this one is no different.
As an alternative, a lot of Cajun dishes are seafood based. So instead of, or in addition to, chicken and sausage, you can add lump crab, scallops or even lobster to this dish to spruce it up a bit. I personally feel like the chicken/shrimp/sausage combo is more homey and rustic but yall know home much I love seafood so eventually I do want to try an elevated version with lobster and scallops!
What’s your favorite way to eat Jambalaya? Do you have and favorite ingredients that you like to add? Leave me a comment and let me know!
- 2 Cups Jasmine rice
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp. butter or olive oil
- 1 lb. chicken cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled
- 1 lb. Andouille sausage, sliced
- 4 tsp. Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 lb. chicken cut into 1 inch cubes