Ingredients
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2 Chicken Breast
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1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
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100g Sliced Chorizo
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3 Sliced Celery Sticks
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3 Chopped Onion
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2 Chopped Green Bell Peppers
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2 Chopped Bulbs Garlic
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250g White RIce
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500ml Vegetable Stockor chicken
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1 Tins of Chopped Tomatoes
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1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
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1 Tsp (Optional) Cayenne Pepper
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1 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
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Handful of Chopped Parsley
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1 Squeeze Lemon Juice
Directions
Dutch Oven Jambalaya has been on my “to cook” list for a long while. Maybe since I got my first Dutch oven! At first, I was keen to make a traditional version of this Cajun favourite but I could not source the correct sort of sausage. So this is not traditional! It’s my version of jambalaya, inspired by years of watching cookery TV and reading recipe books. This is what I think it should taste like!
Jambalaya is a Creole dish which takes its influence from Spanish, French and African cuisine. Certainly when I was making it, I noticed some real similarities to my Authentic Paella Recipe. The main difference though is the chilli heat, that’s the West African influence!
Creole and Cajun culture and food are at home in Louisiana in the United States, and perhaps more specifically in New Orleans. I reckon that Jambalaya is the sort of dish that every household makes differently. I’m sure there have been plenty of arguments about whose family has the best recipe and these recipes are handed down from generation to generation! Although often used interchangeably, Creole and Cajun do not mean the same thing. What Creole and Cajun jambalayas have in common though is what New Orleanians call the “Holy Trinity” of cooking – chopped green peppers, celery and onions. Usually Dutch Oven Jambalaya recipes call for chicken (not a problem in Ireland) and andouille sausage (problem in Ireland). I could not get the correct sausage but I’ve seen other recipes substitute it with Spanish chorizo. My Dutch Oven Jambalaya recipe is more Creole inspired because it includes chopped tomatoes. Cajun versions typically don’t have tomatoes. It’s an easy to prepare pot full of flavoured, spicy rice. Perfect camp food!
If you’re making this around the fire for friends or meal planning for a bunch of scouts, they won’t mind if you substitute the andouille sausage for the much more available chorizo!
This is a great jambalaya recipe for cooking in a Dutch oven. The recipe will easily feed 6 adults or a patrol of 8 Scouts. If you’re cooking for younger members (why aren’t they cooking for themselves?) then go easy on the cayenne pepper, the Cajun seasoning will be spicy enough. Another option is to serve with a bottle of hot sauce (very traditional Cajun) or sliced green chillies (less traditional) so that people can go as spicy as they dare.
Steps
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1
Done
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In the Oven, fry off the chicken in the vegetable oil. When it's cooked, remove the chicken and set in a bowl for later. |
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2
Done
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Add the chopped onions, peppers and celery to the pot. Fry for around 5 minutes until soft. Season with salt and pepper. |
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3
Done
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Add the chorizo and garlic and fry for another 2 minutes until fragrent. |
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4
Done
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Add the spices, including the the cayenne pepper if using and tomato puree. Stir everything together and cook out for 1 minute. |
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5
Done
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Add the rice, tin of tomatoes and stock. Add the chicken back in too as well as any juices for it. Stir it all together. Cover the pot with the lid and leave to cook gently for around 20 minutes. Check every 5 minutes to make sure it isn't boiling too hard. If it ever looks too dry, you can add a little more stock or water. |
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6
Done
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When the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed, take it off the heat and leave to steam, lid on, for 5 minutes. |
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7
Done
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Scatter the chopped parsley and squeeze over the leamon juice. Serve it up! |
