Bulgur Jambalaya -- The Pot That Feeds Whatever Size the Family Is

Back to school. Colette: sophomore. Rémy: seventh grade. The house is two kids now, not three, and the two-kid rhythm is faster, lighter, like a drum pattern that lost a bass drum. Colette is painting constantly — oils, watercolors, charcoal. She's submitted pieces to three more competitions and her art teacher says she should consider art school. Art school. The word "school" attached to something other than engineering or nursing makes my Cajun practical brain twitch, but Colette's talent is undeniable and Danielle says, "Trust her, Tommy. The girl knows what she's doing." Danielle is right. The girl knows. The girl has always known.

Made a back-to-school jambalaya — the standard, the one-pot, the Cajun national transition dish. Andouille, chicken, rice, trinity. The pot that feeds whatever size the family is, whether it's five or four or three or thirty at Thanksgiving. Jambalaya adjusts. Jambalaya is flexible. Jambalaya is the food of families that change shape and keep going.

Jambalaya has always been the dish I reach for when the house is in transition — and this year, with Colette deep into her oils and charcoals and Rémy finally finding his groove in seventh grade, transition is exactly what this season is. I swapped in bulgur for the rice this time around, the way you try something slightly different when life is already doing the same, and it worked. It always works. That’s the whole point of the one-pot — it holds whatever you give it.

Bulgur Jambalaya

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
• 1 cup bulgur wheat, uncooked
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Cook the chicken. In the same pot, add chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on all sides, about 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside with the sausage.
3. Build the trinity. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Toast the bulgur. Stir in the bulgur and cook for 2 minutes, letting it absorb the flavors in the pot and lightly toast.
5. Add liquids and seasoning. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth. Stir in Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Return the chicken and sausage to the pot and stir to combine.
6. Simmer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until bulgur is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Stir once halfway through.
7. Rest and serve. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently, adjust seasoning, and garnish with sliced green onions.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 620mg