Jambalaya recipe

Ok, this looks like the best and simplest recipe for jambalaya.  I had to substitute chicken for the duck (not sure if duck is normal but meh!).  I plan on making this in the coming weeks and will post about the results.  Maybe add a few pictures too.

Brutus' Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 1 (5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning chicken
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound andouille or other spicy smoked sausage, diced
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons Creole Seasoning (I like Emeril's Creole Seasoning so I will use that instead, see recipe below)
  
• 2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
• 1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 
• 1 pound raw or cooked crawfish (if raw, add 10 minutes before cooking is over)
  

Creole Seasoning

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 1/4 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Makes about 2/3 cup

 Directions

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and sear for 5 minutes. Turn and sear on the second side for 3 minutes. Remove from the pot and drain on paper towels.

Add the sausage to the fat in the pot and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, 1 tablespoon of the creole seasoning, and black pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes give off some of their juices, about 2 minutes.

Add the thyme, stock, and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 50 minutes.

Remove chicken pieces from the jambalaya and cool slightly. Skim the fat. Discard skin and bones and shred chicken meat.

Add the rice and bring back up to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is barely tender, about 10 minutes.

Return the chicken meat to the mixture. Season the shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon creole seasoning. Add the shrimp and crawfish (if raw) to the pot, return to a simmer, and cover. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit, covered, for 15 minutes.

Add the green onions, crawfish (if cooked already) and parsley to the jambalaya and stir gently. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Adjust the salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Serve directly from the pot.