Healthy Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya
Crowd pleasing Chicken & Shrimp jambalaya that's easy to make and surprisingly healthy. It features classic Louisiana flavors from common Creole spices (red and black pepper, oregano, and thyme), and vegetables (onions, celery, bell peppers, and tomatoes). Made brown rice for more fiber and healthy fats. This is a hearty dish that you can enjoy this guilt-free!
Servings: 8
Calories: 389kcal
Equipment
- 1 large sauce pan or dutch oven
- 1 8.5x13 baking dish
Ingredients
Seasoning mix
- 3 bay leaves
- 1¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetables
- 1½ cups yellow onion
- 1 cup celery
- ¾ cup green pepper
- ½ cup green onion
- 1½ teaspoon garlic
- 1 can 14.5oz tomato Preferably San Marzano, or other Italian tomatoes. Substitute about 1 pound fresh tomatoes.
- 1 can 8oz tomato sauce
Meat
- 1 pound chicken
- 1 pound shrimp with shells, or combination of shrimp and oysters
- 6 ounce smoked chicken sausage substitute smoked turkey or a combination
Other
- 2 cup brown rice basmati or other long grain, or quinoa.
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cup water
Instructions
Prepare Shrimp & Stock
- Peal and devein 1 pound shrimp
- Add shrimp shells to large sauce pan with 4 cup water
- Add some vegetable trimmings if you have some saved. If not, you can add some from the vegetables used in this recipe.
- Bring to boil over medium high heat.Reduce heat to simmer covered.
Prepare Vegetables
- Chop 1½ cups yellow onion, 1 cup celery, ¾ cup green pepper, ½ cup green onion and 1½ teaspoon garlic. You put the onions, celery and green pepper in a bowl if you need the space. Keep the garlic and green onions separate.You can add the trimmings to the shrimp stock if you didn't have any.
Prepare Seasoning Mix
- In a small bowl combine 1¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, 1½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 3 bay leaves.Add the chopped garlic.
Prepare Meat
- Cut 1 pound chicken and sausage (or other smoked meat) into bite-sized pieces.
Sauté
- Pre-heat oven to 350℉
- Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add smoked meat and sauté until browned. Stirring frequently.
- Add onions, celery and green peppers.Sauté until tender. Stirring occasionally.
- Add chicken, garlic and seasoning mix.Cook about 3 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan constantly.
- Add 1 can 14.5oz tomato and 1 can 8oz tomato sauce.
- Cook just until the chicken is tender (about 8 minutes).
- Strain shrimp stock. Add 2¼ cup stock to. Add more water if you are low.Bring to a boil.
- Stir in green onions and boil for 2 minutes.
- Rinse 2 cup brown rice and add it the the pan.Add shrimp, stir well.Remove from heat.
Bake
- Transfer into a 9x13 baking pan.Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake at 350℉ for 30 minutes.Bake until the rice is tender, but firm.Add stock or water if it looks like it's drying out.If the rice is tender, but it's too soupy, remove the foil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven.Remove bay leaves.Serve.