Should I turn this into a food blog?  Hmmm, I guess we’ll have to see what the future brings.

Wednesday night I bought a rotisserie chicken, and had a little more than half left over when I was done.  I picked all the remaining meat off and put it in the fridge for later use.  That time came yesterday.  I decided to make some jambalaya, and in keeping with recent culinary events, I decided to do it in a way I never had before.

In the past, every time I’ve made jambalaya I’ve cooked the rice separately from the rest of the dish.  This time I cooked the rice *IN* the jambalaya.  It turned out very well, and using the leftover chicken was a stroke of genius.  Once again I share my “recipe” with all of you, and once again I apologize for not having measurements.  I promise I’m not doing it intentionally.  I simply don’t measure the ingredients as I go; I cook freehand, I guess.  So if you decide to try my recipe, I hope you enjoy it!

Enrique’s Jammin’ Jambalaya

• Chicken
• Shrimp
• Andouille Sausage
• Diced Tomato (14.5 oz can)
• Rice (1 cup)
• Chicken Broth (2 cups)
• Butter (2 Tbsp)
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Thyme
• Onion (chopped)
• Celery (chopped)
• Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
• Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder

1. Sauté onions, green bell pepper, and celery in melted butter, black pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Once camelized, add sausage and chicken.
3. After a few minutes, add shrimp.
4. Dust with thyme, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
5. Stir in rice, diced tomato, and chicken broth.
6. Cover and bring to boil, cooking rice until fluffy.
7. Remove from heat, and allow to cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

I think this method turned out better than all my previous attempts at jambalaya, and I’ve been making it for years.  But for some reason I think using the leftover chicken and cooking the rice within the dish both made a difference.  Let me know if you give this a try, and if so what you think.

Enjoy!