Cajun food is one of the great Creole foods of the world. For those dishes that don't require a rue, they are pretty easy to make as well. Here is a tried and true easy, healthy and inexpensive jambalaya recipe.
Part of what makes this recipe less expensive is the use of boneless, skinless chicken thighs rather than breast meat. Some people don't like the darker thigh meat, but so far those who don't have not ever noticed that this recipe is using the thighs. Using thighs does add a little extra fat and therefore a few extra calories to the recipe. See this Chicken Breast versus Thighs article for the skinny on the difference. Either cut will turn out fine.
Also, I use a lower-fat sausage, like turkey andouille sausage, rather than the traditional pork andouille sausage. This is just to bring down the fat content. But using only one link per recipe, the sausage does not make this an unhealthy recipe.
Because I am sodium sensitive, I have to be aware of the sodium content, and this dish has fairly high sodium. Therefore, eating proper portions are important if you have high blood pressure or are sodium sensitive. The chicken meat, sausage, cajun spice and/or chicken broth (even no salt added broth), canned crushed tomatoes and hot sauce will all contain sodium. There should be no reason to add salt to the recipe, and see the * notes below in the recipe for alternatives depending on whether you use a salted seasoning or broth.
Also, I should note I always double this recipe. It keeps well (actually tastes better the next day) and it freezes well also. I make it, eat it for a couple of days, and then freeze the leftovers. This is also great with 8 ounces of scallops, shrimp or even white fish added, but it does not freeze as well with these additions.
Ingredients:
1 pound of skinless, boneless thighs or breast, cut into about 1" to 1 1/2" chunks
1 tablespoon of Cajun Seasoning* - note that some seasonings will contain salt, and some will not. If you use a seasoning that does use salt, then you will not want to use any sort of broth, and should not need to add any additional salt.
1 link of turkey andouille sausage or another low-fat sausage link, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red chili, chopped (or you can just add extra red pepper flakes or cayenne)
1 green, red, orange or yellow pepper, chopped--our household prefers red, orange or yellow peppers
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 can of crushed tomatoes (16 ounces) or 16 ounces of chopped tomato -- if using fresh tomatoes, the recipe will turn out much better if you roast and peel the tomatoes first, but this will add an additional step and an additional 10-15 minutes of prep time to the recipe.
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce like Tabasco
1 cup raw brown rice, washed
1 can chicken broth* - remember, if your Cajun seasoning contains salt, do not use broth or use only no-salt added broth (which will still contain sodium). The recipe will turn out just fine using only water; if using water, use 2 cups of water
1/2 cup water
Optional: 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
Directions:
Combine chicken and sausage in a non-stick pan, and add cajun seasoning. Mix well to evenly coat everything. Then chop your onions, celery, pepper and garlic. Turn the heat on medium-high and cook the chicken and sausage. When they have given off moisture (you should have about a half cup of liquids or so from the meats), move to a bowl and reserve. Your chicken should be cooked through or nearly cooked through at this point.
Add onions, garlic, bell pepper, and celery to the pan the meats cooked in and saute on medium heat until they have all softened, maybe 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and stir to mix thoroughly. Then add the crushed or chopped tomatoes, the reserved meat along with the liquids it gave off, and the rinsed brown rice. Stir to mix well and continue to cook at medium until the mixture begins to bubble. At this point, add either water or broth, stir well, and turn down the heat to low--just enough so the mixture simmers. Cook 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked. Add the last 1/2 cup of water, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce(s) after the mixture has cooked about 10-12 minutes, stirring well.
Once it has finished cooking, taste for seasoning and add additional Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce(s) if needed. You should not need to add additional salt if you used either cajun spice with salt or broth with salt. Once seasoned, stir and immediately cover and turn off the heat. Let rest while still sitting on the burner for five to ten minutes before serving to allow the rice to absorb any more moisture and flavor that it will.
Part of what makes this recipe less expensive is the use of boneless, skinless chicken thighs rather than breast meat. Some people don't like the darker thigh meat, but so far those who don't have not ever noticed that this recipe is using the thighs. Using thighs does add a little extra fat and therefore a few extra calories to the recipe. See this Chicken Breast versus Thighs article for the skinny on the difference. Either cut will turn out fine.
Also, I use a lower-fat sausage, like turkey andouille sausage, rather than the traditional pork andouille sausage. This is just to bring down the fat content. But using only one link per recipe, the sausage does not make this an unhealthy recipe.
Because I am sodium sensitive, I have to be aware of the sodium content, and this dish has fairly high sodium. Therefore, eating proper portions are important if you have high blood pressure or are sodium sensitive. The chicken meat, sausage, cajun spice and/or chicken broth (even no salt added broth), canned crushed tomatoes and hot sauce will all contain sodium. There should be no reason to add salt to the recipe, and see the * notes below in the recipe for alternatives depending on whether you use a salted seasoning or broth.
Also, I should note I always double this recipe. It keeps well (actually tastes better the next day) and it freezes well also. I make it, eat it for a couple of days, and then freeze the leftovers. This is also great with 8 ounces of scallops, shrimp or even white fish added, but it does not freeze as well with these additions.
Ingredients:
1 pound of skinless, boneless thighs or breast, cut into about 1" to 1 1/2" chunks
1 tablespoon of Cajun Seasoning* - note that some seasonings will contain salt, and some will not. If you use a seasoning that does use salt, then you will not want to use any sort of broth, and should not need to add any additional salt.
1 link of turkey andouille sausage or another low-fat sausage link, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red chili, chopped (or you can just add extra red pepper flakes or cayenne)
1 green, red, orange or yellow pepper, chopped--our household prefers red, orange or yellow peppers
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 can of crushed tomatoes (16 ounces) or 16 ounces of chopped tomato -- if using fresh tomatoes, the recipe will turn out much better if you roast and peel the tomatoes first, but this will add an additional step and an additional 10-15 minutes of prep time to the recipe.
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce like Tabasco
1 cup raw brown rice, washed
1 can chicken broth* - remember, if your Cajun seasoning contains salt, do not use broth or use only no-salt added broth (which will still contain sodium). The recipe will turn out just fine using only water; if using water, use 2 cups of water
1/2 cup water
Optional: 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
Directions:
Combine chicken and sausage in a non-stick pan, and add cajun seasoning. Mix well to evenly coat everything. Then chop your onions, celery, pepper and garlic. Turn the heat on medium-high and cook the chicken and sausage. When they have given off moisture (you should have about a half cup of liquids or so from the meats), move to a bowl and reserve. Your chicken should be cooked through or nearly cooked through at this point.
Add onions, garlic, bell pepper, and celery to the pan the meats cooked in and saute on medium heat until they have all softened, maybe 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and stir to mix thoroughly. Then add the crushed or chopped tomatoes, the reserved meat along with the liquids it gave off, and the rinsed brown rice. Stir to mix well and continue to cook at medium until the mixture begins to bubble. At this point, add either water or broth, stir well, and turn down the heat to low--just enough so the mixture simmers. Cook 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked. Add the last 1/2 cup of water, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce(s) after the mixture has cooked about 10-12 minutes, stirring well.
Once it has finished cooking, taste for seasoning and add additional Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce(s) if needed. You should not need to add additional salt if you used either cajun spice with salt or broth with salt. Once seasoned, stir and immediately cover and turn off the heat. Let rest while still sitting on the burner for five to ten minutes before serving to allow the rice to absorb any more moisture and flavor that it will.
