Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Jambalaya...the pinnacle of Creole cuisine. A spicy dish, made in a Dutch oven and cooked using a variety of ingredients such as fire-roasted tomatoes, onion, green peppers, and nearly any type of meat, poultry, or shellfish served with cooked rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. For this Jambalaya, we are first going to preheat your Dutch oven on medium heat and add some vegetable oil.
2. Then we are going to add the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven, and season with salt, black pepper, and half of the Cajun seasoning. Make sure you cook until it's brown on all sides, and then remove it from the Dutch oven and set aside.
3. Once that is done, we need to place the andouille sausage in the Dutch oven, and cook until brown on all sides. When you have done this, remove it from the Dutch oven and set it aside with the chicken.
4. I hope you are enjoying yourselves so far! The next thing we will do is add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Yummy!
5. Now we are going to add more ingredients. First, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Mmm. This should get nice and soft and fragrant.
6. Then, we will take the rice and add it to the mixture, stirring it all together to combine it with the vegetables.
7. Lastly, we will add the chicken broth, the remaining Cajun seasoning, thyme, oregano, and cayenne pepper to the Dutch oven. Stir it all up and then finally add the chicken and sausage back into the Dutch oven.
8. Bring the mixture to a simmer,  cover the Dutch oven, and reduce the heat to low.
9. Allow your soon to be delicious jambalaya to fully cook and simmer for about 20-25 minutes (or until the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed)
10. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, and allow the jambalaya to sit for a few minutes before serving.
11. Serve the jambalaya hot, garnished with chopped parsley or green onions.

In this recipe, we've combined the best of both Creole and Cajun cooking styles. This Dutch Oven Jambalaya is a hearty one-pot meat and rice dinner that anyone will enjoy, and it's ideal for the colder months.