Brown Rice Jambalaya
Submitted by jess3565
A loaded Cajun jambalaya with chicken, ham, Cajun sausage, and shrimp simmered over brown rice with filé powder, cayenne, and fresh tomatoes. Feeds a crowd straight from one big pot.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
70 minREADY
80 minThis is the jambalaya that doesn’t cut corners. Chicken legs, ham (or bacon), Cajun sausage, and shrimp all get their turn in the pot, building layers of smoky, spicy, meaty flavor that seeps into every grain of brown rice.
The trinity of onion, garlic, and green bell pepper lays the aromatic foundation while oregano, thyme, filé powder, cumin, and cayenne bring that unmistakable Louisiana heat.
Brown rice swaps in for white, adding a nuttier chew that holds up to the bold flavors without turning to mush.
The shrimp go in right at the end, just long enough to turn pink and curl, so they stay plump and tender.
Pro Tips
- Brown each meat separately and set aside. Building fond (those browned bits on the bottom of the pot) in stages is what gives this jambalaya its deep, complex backbone.
- Don’t skip the filé powder. It adds a subtle earthy thickness you can’t get any other way. Find it in the spice aisle or online.
- Brown rice takes longer than white, so be patient with the simmer. Check at 40 minutes and add a splash of broth if it looks dry.
- Let the shrimp steam in the covered pot off the heat for about 8 minutes. That gentle carryover heat cooks them through without making them rubbery.
Ingredients
Directions
Put ham or bacon in a 4-quart soup kettle and cook over low heat until fat is rendered.
Increase heat to medium and stir until cooked, about 5 minutes.
Remove chicken skin, cut meat off the bones and then cut boneless chicken into bite-size pieces.
Add to kettle or skillet with bacon or ham and toss until color turns pale, about 4 minutes.
Remove bacon or ham and chicken with a slotted spoon and put on paper toweling; set aside.
Add sausage to kettle and brown all over, about 6 to 8 minutes; remove.
Leave 2 tablespoons fat in kettle; pour off and discard remaining fat.
Insert metal blade in food processor.
Mince garlic by adding to machine with motor on.
Add onion and chop very coarsely with half second pulses.
Add green pepper and process with half-second pulses until mixture is chopped to medium consistency.
Add mixture to kettle and stir over low heat until softened, about 10 minutes.
Process tomatoes until pureed; set aside.
Add rice to ingredients in kettle and stir over low heat for 2 minutes.
Then stir in oregano Thyme, file, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin.
Add tomatoes and broth. Stir well and let mixture to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook rice mixture 15 to 20 Cut sausage into ¼ inch thick coin like slices. Mix sausage, ham and chicken pieces into rice. Cover and cook until rice is tender (rice may not absorb all the liquid) about 20 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt as needed. Stir shrimp into hot rice mixture, cover pot and let stand for 8 to Serve rice with shrimp, meats and liquid.
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