“In the summer of 2002, Hon, Alvin, Ant and I took a little road trip down to L.A. and San Diego. We stayed at Ant’s house one night, and his Mom made this for us. Afterwards, she kicked Ant out of his own room so that Hon and I could have a real bed to sleep on. Poor Ant.” – April Ferre
Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs Diced
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 12 Ounces Andouille Sausage Sliced
- 1 Pound Raw Shrimp Shelled & Deveined
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Medium Onion Chopped
- 1 Green Pepper Diced
- 2 to 3 Stalks Celery Diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 1/4 Cup Uncooked Long-Grain Rice
- 2 Teaspoons Creole Seasoning Or to Taste, See Note
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 14 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth or Water
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/4 Cup Green Onion Sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until golden. Remove to a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, brown sausage and then remove to bowl with chicken.
- Reduce heat to low and cook shrimp until just barely opaque and not completely cooked through (be careful not to over cook.) Remove shrimp to bowl.
- Add butter to the Dutch oven and sauté onion, green pepper and celery until softened. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.
- Mix in rice, Creole seasoning,and thyme; toast for a minute or two until fragrant.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring mixture to a boil and cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes until rice is cooked through.
- Remove bay leaves and mix in chicken, sausage and shrimp. Cover and turn off burner. Let sit 4 to 5 minutes until meats are heated through and shrimp have finished cooking.
- Mix in green onion and parsley. Serve with a side of cornbread.
Notes
Creole seasoning blends vary quite a bit. If your blend does not contain salt, reduce to 1 1/2 teaspoons and add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2002 Recipe – Anthony Delacruz, 2026 Revised & Updated – April Ferre
