By The rain has started and it's raining hard some days. Mama says to be prepared. This week I made extra big pots of red beans and rice. We ate well and I froze some.
On Tuesday the power flickered and we lit candles. I told stories from my notebook to keep Kayla calm. She said I was like a real doctor already.
Saturday MawMaw Shirley said to keep practicing because you never know when you'll need to feed people fast. I made jambalaya and it turned out good even with the rain noise outside.
At night I wrote: "Rain can change things fast, but good food and patience help us hold on." Twelve years old, round cheeks, coiled hair, and a heart that's learning resilience. I'm not rushing. I'm stirring through whatever comes.
MawMaw Shirley’s words stayed with me all week — you never know when you’ll need to feed people fast — so I kept coming back to this jambalaya, the one I made while the rain hammered the windows and Kayla was finally calm. It’s one pot, it stretches to feed everyone, and the whole house smells like everything is going to be okay. This is the version I’m writing down so I don’t forget it.
One-Pot Jambalaya
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 green onions, sliced, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on the edges. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
- Sear the chicken. Season chicken pieces with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Add to the pot and sear 4–5 minutes, turning once, until golden. Transfer to the plate with the sausage. The chicken does not need to be cooked through yet.
- Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Season and deglaze. Stir in Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add rice and broth. Stir in the uncooked rice, chicken broth, and bay leaves. Nestle the sausage and chicken back into the pot, pushing them gently into the liquid.
- Simmer covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and cook 20–22 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender. Do not lift the lid before 20 minutes.
- Rest and fluff. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves, then fluff gently with a fork, folding the meat and rice together.
- Serve. Spoon into bowls and top with sliced green onions. Pass hot sauce at the table.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 46g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 890mg