Crock Pot Jambalaya

Mushroom. Check!
Tomato. Check!
Sausage. Yep!
Shrimp. Absolutely!
Onion. Easy!
Green Bell Pepper? Of course!
Celery? Yes, I got you!
Crawfish… OK, I am gonna have to omit this one.
Is this chicken? Wait. It’s alligator. Gosh! hmmm…chicken should do the trick.
One last thing is rice. Obviously!

It was the second time in the same restaurant close to our hotel when traveling in New Orleans last month. I was completely concentrating on the taste of my Jambalaya as well as trying to list all the ingredients of that dish in my head.

“Sharon, what do you think?” I was pulled out of my small tasty world by our friend Hayden.

“What do I think about what?” Apparently, I somehow neglected the conversation happening on the same table entirely.

“I am sure she will be down for a swamp tour.” Han knows me well.

“A swamp tour?! To see alligators?! HELL YEAH! LET’S DO IT!” I almost jumped out of my chair.

Everyone seemed to be excited about the plan and started getting into the details. As soon as I put another full spoon of Jambalaya in my mouth, my focus immediately switched back.

“Now I just need to figure out the spices…” I quietly said to myself…

Through all these years of traveling and recipe writing, I learned to be more perceptive of nature, beauty, and culture, which includes local cuisine. My challenge is usually to tear apart a dish completely by analyzing its ingredients, spices, and cooking method when I am in a different place, and then to put everything back together when I am home. If successful, you know the benefit – one more unique recipe for our families! 😀

Unfortunately, the swamp tour didn’t happen during our latest trip to New Orleans. Fortunately, after testing and adjusting, this Crock Pot Jambalaya was a great success! It absolutely has the taste of Cajun cuisine, but altered to be super home cook friendly. Easy and wholesome! Hope you and your family enjoy it! Cheers!

[alert]
CROCK POT JAMBALAYA[printfriendly]
Yield: 6 Servings

INGREDIENTS
12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, finely diced
6 oz Andouille sausage (or any type of smoked sausage), sliced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
8 oz white mushroom, sliced
2 cups tomato, diced
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 oz raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups Jasmine rice or regular white rice

1. Place all the ingredients in your crock pot, excluding shrimp and rice. Stir well.
2. Set the crock pot on high and cook for 2-3 hours.
3. About 40 minutes before serving, add rice and shrimp in the crock pot. Stir and make sure the rice is completely covered. Continue cooking on high for 40 minutes, until the rice is tender.

• If use brown rice, prepare to stir it in the crock pot an hour before serving because brown rice takes more time to cook.
• For best result, I recommend to enjoy this Jambalaya the same day as it’s cooked. Any leftovers will likely affect the rice texture. However, you can totally cook the rice separately, and pour the Crock Pot Jambalaya mixture over the cooked rice. Well, enjoy the leftovers as well! 🙂

[/alert]