Mardi Gras Food: 3 Easy-To-Make Cajun Jambalaya Recipes

Cajun Jambalaya

Cajun Jambalaya is a special Mardi Gras food dish made with a sizzling combination of meat and veggies. You can also spoon the meaty sauce over cooked rice. Either way, it tastes heavenly. To make Cajun jambalaya, andouille sausage, chicken breast, and shrimp are the prime ingredients; however, you can substitute chicken with turkey or duck, and experiment with any ingredients on hand.

3 Simple Cajun Jambalaya Recipes

Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds mild smoked pork sausage, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 1 ¼ pounds long-grain rice
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped curly parsley leaves
  • 1 pound tasso ham, cubed
  • ¾ tablespoon whole fresh thyme leaves
  • ¾ tablespoon chopped fresh sweet basil leaves
  • ½ tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • ½ tablespoon white pepper
  • 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thigh meat
  • 1 ½ pounds onions, diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
  • ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • ¹⁄3 gallon chicken stock

Directions

Preheat a Dutch oven and add the sausage. Keep turning the sausage to prevent them from sticking to the pot and burning. Add the chicken and brown it for about 20 minutes. Do not over-cook.

Lower the heat and add garlic and onions and fry until translucent. Add the tasso, basil, thyme, and black and white pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. You can transfer the jambalaya concentrate to a smaller container and refrigerate for further use.

When you want to cook the jambalaya, add the stock to the concentrate and bring it to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat, and gently break the rice. Prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot by scraping it with a stainless steel paddle.

After five minutes, add the parsley. Stir and bring it to a boil again. Simmer and cook covered for 25 minutes.

Cajun Jambalaya Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 fluid ounces olive oil
  • 4 ounces red, yellow, green peppers, cut into thin strips
  • 4 ounces red onions, cut into thin strips
  • 6 ounces shrimp (shells, tails, and veins removed)
  • 1 tablespoon blanched garlic, minced
  • 4 ounces Roma tomatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 ½ cups spicy chicken-seafood broth
  • 1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun spice blend
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun spice blend
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1 pound linguine pasta (fresh)

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Put the chicken into a bowl and add Cajun spice and toss to coat.

Add chicken to sauté pan and cook until half done. Add the onions, peppers, and shrimp into the pan. Cook until the shrimp is half done and add garlic. Season with pepper powder, kosher salt, and Cajun spice.

Add the chicken-seafood broth and diced tomatoes into the sauté pan. Stir and cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken and shrimp are cooked. Put the pasta into boiling salted water, and cook until al dente.

Remove the pasta into serving bowls. Spoon the jambalaya over the pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.

Easy Cajun Jambalaya Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 8 ounces kielbasa sausage, diced
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups uncooked white rice
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

Heat oil in a large pan. Over medium high heat, sauté the chicken and kielbasa for five minutes. Stir in bell pepper, onion, celery, and garlic. Season with cayenne, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Cook until the onion is tender.

Add rice, and stir in chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce. Serve hot.

 


Sources:

“Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya,” Food Network web site; http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cajun-chicken-and-sausage-jambalaya-recipe, last accessed February 24, 2017.

“CAJUN JAMBALAYA PASTA,” The Cheese Cake Factory web site, https://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/about-us/our-recipes/cajun-jambalaya-pasta/.

“Easy Cajun Jambalaya,” Allrecipes web site; http://allrecipes.com/recipe/31833/easy-cajun-jambalaya/, last accessed February 24, 2017