Easy One Pot Jambalaya

Easy One Pot Jambalaya

from averiecooks.com
30 min

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if/as desired
  • 1 large white or yellow onion, diced small
  • 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced small
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • 1 to 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 12 ounces cooked U-shaped sausage link, sliced into bite-sized pieces (kielbasa, Polish sausage, turkey sausage, etc.)
  • two 10-ounce cans Rotel* (See Notes) or similar canned diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • three 8-ounce packets precooked Ready Rice such as Uncle Ben's or 6 cups previously cooked rice** (See Notes)
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, or to taste *** (See Notes)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional and to taste
  • Green onions, sliced thin; optional for garnishing

Directions

  1. 1

    To a large Dutch oven or similar deep, heavy-bottomed pot, add the olive oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring intermittently.

  2. 2

    Add the green peppers and and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring intermittently.

  3. 3

    Add the red peppers and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring intermittently. If at any time the mixture seems at all dry, add additional olive oil.

  4. 4

    Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring constantly.

  5. 5

    Note - If you like very well-browned chicken and sausage, sauté them in a separate pan, starting first with the chicken, then add the sausage about 3 minutes later, and sauté until the chicken is cooked through and the proteins are as browned as desired, then transfer them back into the Dutch oven with the onions and peppers. However, because we are not fanatical about it, and I like the ease of one-pot recipes, no transferring food back and forth, I do it all in one pot.

  6. 6

    Add the chicken to the onions and peppers, and add more olive oil if desired. Stir and flip intermittently for about 3 to 4 minutes before adding the sausage.

  7. 7

    Add the sausage, and stir and flip intermittently for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sausage is lightly cooked.

  8. 8

    Add the rice (if using packets of Ready Rice I like to heat the in the microwave according to the packet directions before adding it to the Dutch oven because it helps soften up the rice nicely and warms it through). If using precooked leftover cold rice, let it sit out at room temp before adding it to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine.

  9. 9

    Add the Rotel and stir to combine.

  10. 10

    Evenly sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, to taste (start slowly at first if you're sensitive to spices)***, salt, pepper, and stir to combine.

  11. 11

    Allow mixture to come up to just barely boiling, or until all ingredients have been warmed through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

  12. 12

    Taste the jambalaya and if desired, add more Cajun seasoning (likely if you started with just 1-2 tablespoons), additional salt (if it tastes at all flat or boring, most likely it needs salt too not just spice/heat so add it and remember the saltiness of your Rotel as well as your sausage will effect this) as well as additional pepper if desired.

  13. 13

    Optional add the lemon juice (brights up the dish) and optionally garnish with green onions to taste. Serve immediately.

  14. 14

    Jambalaya will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.**** (See Notes)