Louisiana jambalaya

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
4 free-range chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
3 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1½ tbsp paprika (not smoked)
2 bay leaves
400g tin plum tomatoes
1 tsp caster sugar
300g good-quality smoked sausages (we used Montbeliard sausages from Reflets de France, from ocado.com), sliced
300g long grain rice, rinsed
3 fresh thyme sprigs
500ml good-quality chicken stock, hot
200g responsibly sourced raw king prawns, de-veined
Juice of 1 lemon
4 spring onions, finely sliced

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
4 free-range chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
3 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1½ tbsp paprika (not smoked)
2 bay leaves
400g tin plum tomatoes
1 tsp caster sugar
300g good-quality smoked sausages (we used Montbeliard sausages from Reflets de France, from ocado.com), sliced
300g long grain rice, rinsed
3 fresh thyme sprigs
500ml good-quality chicken stock, hot
200g responsibly sourced raw king prawns, de-veined
Juice of 1 lemon
4 spring onions, finely sliced

Method

Put a sauté pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Season the chicken thighs on both sides, then place them skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the skin is golden, then turn over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the celery, onion and peppers to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and golden. Add the garlic, oregano, cayenne and paprika, then cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add the bay leaves, plum tomatoes, sugar and sliced sausage, then cook for 2 minutes more until well combined. Add the rice, thyme and stock, then return the chicken to the pan skin-side up, pushed into the rice. Season and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and bubble gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is almost cooked.
About 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the chicken from the pan and shred with a couple of forks (discard the skin if you want). Return the chicken meat to the pan with the king prawns and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the prawns have turned pink. Squeeze in the lemon juice to taste, scatter with spring onions, check the seasoning and serve immediately.

Method

Put a sauté pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Season the chicken thighs on both sides, then place them skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the skin is golden, then turn over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the celery, onion and peppers to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and golden. Add the garlic, oregano, cayenne and paprika, then cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add the bay leaves, plum tomatoes, sugar and sliced sausage, then cook for 2 minutes more until well combined. Add the rice, thyme and stock, then return the chicken to the pan skin-side up, pushed into the rice. Season and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and bubble gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is almost cooked.
About 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the chicken from the pan and shred with a couple of forks (discard the skin if you want). Return the chicken meat to the pan with the king prawns and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the prawns have turned pink. Squeeze in the lemon juice to taste, scatter with spring onions, check the seasoning and serve immediately.

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Dianne Grove says:

6th Mar 2018 at 7:19 pm

Made this for tea tonight and the depth of flavours was impressive. Didn’t have any smoked sausages so used sweet chilli ones instead and a combination of smoked and sweet paprika which worked a treat? Will definitely be making this again for friends 5* from me all round. Oh also used cooked king prawns but just laid these on the top of the rice with the lid on for a couple of minutes to warm through, excellent!

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Joanna Smith says:

5th Jun 2015 at 7:13 am

I love this recipe because I adore Jambalaya and this is one of the best variations. It’s lovely and spicy. I make two alongside each other – a slightly less spicy version for the children!

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