Easy to clean up, light in calories and fat, and touched with spicy heat, One-Pan Jambalaya is a delicious, quick weeknight meal.
Not much catches my attention when it comes to kitchen-related things as the promise of less clean-up.
I know there are some people out there who think that hand washing dishes is cathartic. I’m not one of them. When we were house hunting many moons ago, a kitchen with a dishwasher included was at the top of the ‘must have’ list, right up there with bathrooms and bedrooms.
This jambalaya recipe is touted as being a one-pan meal, and it is. But it’s also a little deceiving because the second (and possibly third) pan that might be used is replaced with a colander and bowl to prep the tomatoes. Luckily, a quick run through hot water and swipe with a soapy sponge took care of those on the spot so I almost didn’t feel like there was more clean-up than just the one pan.
Almost.
The Process
I confess, I couldn’t find pre-cut frozen green pepper and onions, so I chopped up an onion and green pepper then microwaved them for a minute so they were softened like the thawed version would have been. It worked well. I also confess that I had a feeling this would be a great meal so I doubled it.
That being said, the instructions are really easy to follow and work perfectly just as is. There were no surprises or issues with how the jambalaya came together.
The Verdict
The jambalaya had a bunch of flavor and just enough heat (you can definitely control how much with the amount and type of Cajun seasoning you use). I was so, so glad that I made a double batch because we would have fought over who got the leftovers otherwise.
What I’d Do Different Next Time
You’ll definitely want to make a double batch. I’d also save a few dollars by making my own rice.
The Cost
Chopped onion and green bell pepper*: $2.80
Andouille Sausage: $3.97
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: $1.75
Diced tomatoes with green chiles: $2.78
Cajun seasoning: $2.99
Uncle Ben’s Precooked Brown Rice: $4.78
Green onions: $.99
Lemon: $.69
Total: $20.75
Print
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 ounces andouille sausage (finely chopped)
- 12 ounces skinless (boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces)
- 2 10-oz. cans unsalted diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 8.8-oz. pouches precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben’s)
- 4 green onions (chopped)
- 1 lemon (cut into wedges)
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion mixture and sausage; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Strain tomatoes in a colander over a bowl, reserving ¼ cup liquid. Add strained tomato mixture, ¼ cup reserved tomato liquid, Cajun seasoning, salt, and rice to pan, scraping pan with a wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; sprinkle with green onions. Divide rice mixture evenly among 4 bowls. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce, if desired.
- Cover pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; sprinkle with green onions. Divide rice mixture evenly among 4 bowls. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce, if desired.
What I’d Do Different Next Time
- You’ll definitely want to make a double batch. I’d also save a few dollars by making my own rice.
- Category: Main
