Shrimp, Chicken, and Sausage Jambalaya

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In 2023, the theme of Black History Month is Black Resistance, and Eat the Culture is recognizing the remarkable and, frankly, underrated resistance of our ancestors in bringing culinary traditions across the Atlantic to shape the vibrance of Black cuisine that we know and love today. They physically and mentally carried African foodways across the deadly Middle Passage to pass down through generations. This year’s Black History Month Virtual Potluck traces popular dishes of the Diaspora from their West African roots to North America and beyond. Share these recipes with your friends and loved ones and follow each participant by using the hashtag #BHMVP2023 on Instagram.

You can grab the full list of recipes from this year’s collaboration on the Eat the Culture website.

Today, I’m teaching you how to make Jambalaya, a descendant recipe of Jollof. Jollof comes from the Senegambia region of West Africa, particularly Senegal, and is a fragrant and flavorful combination of rice, onions, tomatoes, and fish or meat. The roots of this dish can be traced from West Africa to the Caribbean, Mexico, and the American South. I encourage you to follow the story of Jambalaya through Nigerian Jollof Rice (The Prince Eats) from West Africa and Charleston Red Rice (Food Fidelity) from the American South.

This recipe for Shrimp, Chicken, and Sausage Jambalaya is influenced by both Cajun and Creole variations of the dish. It combines the rich flavors of the chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp with the hearty texture of rice simmered until tender in a seafood broth. My rendition also boasts a hearty mix of green bell peppers, onion, and celery affectionately known in Southern cooking as the Holy Trinity. When blended with garlic and Creole seasoning the deep flavor profile makes this dish the epitome of comfort food. Whether you serve it as a main course or a side dish, Jambalaya provides you with a true taste of the African American culinary heritage.

My First Taste of Jambalaya

Although my familial roots lie in the South, I grew up in a small town in South Central Pennsylvania. As an adult, I began to develop a strong interest in exploring Black foodways realizing that I had limited knowledge of foods with deep roots in the African diaspora. While this exploration happened in formal ways like taking cooking classes and eating at Black-owned restaurants, it also happened informally and often unplanned through relationships with friends, family members, and food industry colleagues. Such was the case with Jambalaya.

While I had some familiarity with Jambalaya over the course of my life, I can not recall a time that it was ever made in my household. In fact, my first experience tasting an authentic Jambalaya came well into my 20s. A very good friend from a very small coastal South Carolina hosted me for Thanksgiving dinner at his home in Maryland, and had cooked a spread of dishes he had grown up with. When preparing my plate, I excitedly told him his “dirty rice” looked divine. With love (and a little bit of playful judgement) he quickly informed me that it was his family’s infamous Jambalaya recipe. One that he had learned how to make from his mother and grandmother. While the dish was similar in appearance to the dirty rice dishes I had grown up (which my grandmother affectionately called “church rice”). I noticed some very distinct differences in flavor, ingredients, and preparation that I noticed upon my first bite.

A History of Jambalaya

Although the roots of Jambalaya are often disputed, the dish in its most popular form is said to be a hybrid-evolution of West African dishes like Jollof Rice, as well as the Spanish dish paella, which was introduced to Louisiana cuisine culture by Spanish immigrants in the 1700s. These influences coupled with the impact of French cuisine in Louisiana and the Gulf States, truly make Jambalaya a dish representative of what Southern America looked like during the time.

The word “jambalaya” is thought to come from the French term “jambon,” meaning ham, which was often used in the dish. The dish is thought to have been a way for enslaved people and poor people in Louisiana to stretch their food by using cheap and readily available ingredients. This included scraps of livestock organs, vegetables, and rice. Over time, jambalaya the dish became popularized, particularly in the city of New Orleans. It was often served at events and celebrations, such as weddings and Mardi Gras, and became a staple of Creole and Cajun cuisine.

Today, jambalaya is enjoyed all over the world and has become a well-known symbol of Louisiana’s unique and vibrant culture. There are many variations of jambalaya, including Creole jambalaya, which includes tomatoes and is typically made with seafood, and Cajun jambalaya, which does not include tomatoes and is typically made with sausage or other meats. It is often served as a side dish, but also makes a hearty one-pot meal.

Ingredients for Shrimp, Chicken, and Sausage Jambalaya

When making an authentic jambalaya there are some essential ingredients.

  • Parboiled Long-Grain Rice: To save yourself some time and to prevent undercooked or overcooked rice I strongly suggest using parboiled long-grain rice. If you do not have parboiled rice on hand, Toni Tipton-Martin’s cookbook, Jubilee, offers easy instructions for parboiling the rice which involves baking the rice on a sheet pan (in a single layer) at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until the rice is just brown and toasted. Other recipes suggest toasting the rice in a cast-iron pan over medium heat until light brown.
  • Diced Ham: With the “jamba” in “jambalaya” meaning ham, I feel that it is essential to include some form of pork. Ham that has been diced offers you the opportunity to get a little piece in each bite. Diced ham can be substituted for bacon which can be fried until crispy and then added to the pan when you add the chicken and sausage. If you do not eat pork (or are not a fan), feel free to omit this ingredient completely or replace it with a turkey bacon.
  • Protein: This recipe includes both land (Chicken, Ham, Sausage) and sea (Shrimp) ingredients as protein. This makes it a hybrid of Creole and Cajun jambalaya. You can easily omit the shrimp and tomatoes if you’re interested in a more traditional Cajun jambalaya. Omit the chicken if you’re interested in a more Creole jambalaya.
  • The Holy Trinity (Green Bell Pepper, Onion, and Celery): If you’re unfamiliar with Cajun or Creole recipes then you should get to know the holy trinity. This 1:1:1 combination of diced green bell pepper, celery, and white onion is a base for many recipes with origins in Louisiana and the Gulf States. It creates a distinct flavor profile that separates Cajun and Creole cooking from other types of cuisine.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • 1/2 pound Andouille Sausage, Sliced
  • 1/4 Pound Diced Ham
  • 1 Small Onion Chopped
  • 2 Stalks of Celery Chopped
  • 1 Green Pepper, Chopped
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional)
  • 1 Can Diced Tomatoes (14.5 ounces), Drained
  • 2 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 1/4 Cup Long Grain Rice (parboiled preferred)
  • 12-15 Jumbo Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined
  • Green Onion and Fresh Parsley for Garnish (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet.
  2. Add the sliced sausage and chicken to the pan and cook until browned (approximately 5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate or large bowl that has been lined with a paper towel to soak up the extra grease.
  3. Add the additional tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan, then saute diced onion, celery, and green pepper until vegetables are tender, 2-3 minutes. Add in minced garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
  4. Return chicken and sausage to pan, then stir in tomatoes. Add Creole seasoning, salt and cayenne pepper (if using) and stir until all ingredients are coated.
  5. Pour chicken broth into the pan, then stir in the rice. Bring the dish to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender.
  6. Once the rice is tender, arrange shrimp on top of the dish, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. The steam from the pan will cook the shrimp.
  7. Remove pan from heat, and garnish with green onion and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Shrimp, Chicken, and Sausage Jambalaya

Recipe by GeoCourse: Black History Month, Recipe Round-Up, Recipes
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

  • 1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

  • 1/2 pound Andouille Sausage, Sliced

  • 1/4 Pound Diced Ham

  • 1 Small Onion Chopped

  • 2 Stalks of Celery Chopped

  • 1 Green Pepper, Chopped

  • 3 Cloves Garlic

  • 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning

  • 1 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional)

  • 1 Can Diced Tomatoes (14.5 ounces), Drained

  • 2 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth

  • 1 1/4 Cup Long Grain Rice (parboiled preferred)

  • 12-15 Jumbo Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined

  • Green Onion and Fresh Parsley for Garnish (Optional)

Directions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet.
  • Add the sliced sausage and chicken to the pan and cook until browned (approximately 5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate or large bowl that has been lined with a paper towel to soak up the extra grease.
  • Add the additional tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan, then saute diced onion, celery, and green pepper until vegetables are tender, 2-3 minutes. Add in minced garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
  • Return chicken and sausage to pan, then stir in tomatoes. Add Creole seasoning, salt and cayenne pepper (if using) and stir until all ingredients are coated.
  • Pour chicken broth into the pan, then stir in the rice. Bring the dish to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender.
  • Once the rice is tender, arrange shrimp on top of the dish, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. The steam from the pan will cook the shrimp.
  • Remove pan from heat, and garnish with green onion and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

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