From what I can tell, Jambalaya is quite ricey, which was why I was reluctant to make it for so long. But then one day I had an epiphany……. I could just use less rice!
…and so my smokey, veg-filled, easy, freezable Jambalaya was born!
I like to cook the chicken separately in the oven so I can shred it before adding it to the Jambalaya, but that’s just me! You could also cut down the amount of chicken breasts to 2 and add in 200g of cooked prawns instead.
This recipe can also be cooked in a slow cooker – Just add the chopped veg, tomatoes, spices, stock, rice and cooked chicken to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8.
I would recommend leaving the chicken breasts whole until an hour before it’s ready and shred them then.
Method: Preheat the oven at 180C/350F. Pop the chicken breasts on an oven proof tray, season with pepper and a dash of smoked paprika, and cook for 30-40 mins. Next, chop up the onion, peppers, and celery. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Add in the onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Next add in the peppers and the celery and cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Once the veg has softened a bit, add in the tin of tomatoes, tomato puree, and uncooked rice. Next season with the cajun spice, paprika, parsley and hotsauce, and heat through for 5 minutes. Make up the chicken stock (I use Knorr stockpots), and add to the pot. Stir through and bring to the boil. Once the mixture has reached boiling, reduce and simmer until the liquid reduces a bit. Once the chicken is ready, take it out of the oven, and shred the chicken breast.** Add the chicken to the mixture, and if you’re using prawns add those in also. Finally simmer the mixture for about 20-30 minutes, or until the consistency is how you would like it. ENJOY!! *I use 8-9 tbsps of uncooked wholegrain rice for 4 portions **For shredding, i use two forks and pull the chicken apart. Chicken Jambalaya
Elaine Power 