Creole Style Chicken and Savory Jambalaya

Name: Creole Style Chicken and Savory Jambalaya
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Creole
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, chopped into pieces; 1 rib celery with leaves, chopped; 1 onion, chopped; 3/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 eggplant, chopped; 1 bay leaf; 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 pound ham, cubed; 1 (60-ounce) can tomato paste; 2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce; 4 cups long grain rice; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Recipe GLPR489734f5559653

Creole

Main Course

60 min

758 cal

Servings: 10

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A hearty one-pot Creole dish featuring tender chicken, smoked sausage, and ham combined with aromatic vegetables, tomato paste, and long-grain rice. This traditional jambalaya is seasoned with bay leaf and hot pepper sauce for authentic Creole flavor, perfect for serving a crowd.

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Ingredients

1 whole chicken, chopped into pieces

1 rib celery with leaves, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 eggplant, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 pound ham, cubed

1 (60-ounce) can tomato paste

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

4 cups long grain rice

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken begins to brown and is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Ensure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Add the celery, chopped onion, green bell pepper, minced garlic, and eggplant to the pot with the chicken. Toss in the bay leaf. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the chicken is tender and the vegetables soften, approximately 10-12 minutes.
Stir in the smoked sausage pieces and ham cubes. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage and ham are lightly browned and their flavors begin to blend with the chicken and vegetables.
Add the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients and distribute the seasonings evenly.
Add the long grain rice to the pot and mix thoroughly, ensuring the rice is well coated and evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking of the rice.
Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Stir in the fresh chopped parsley and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve immediately to 10 people.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

This is a solid weeknight jambalaya that hits the mark for a Charlotte household. Eggplant is the odd note here—it's not traditional and means hunting through produce sections at multiple stores in summer; skip it for the classic trinity plus sausage approach. Chicken, sausage, ham, rice, and Creole staples (celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic) are grocery-aisle staples at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Walmart for $25–$30 total, or roughly $2.50–$3 per serving. The 60-minute timer is honest if you brown the meat first and let the rice simmer; don't trust recipes that claim jambalaya in 30 minutes. It feeds a family of ten, reheats beautifully, and the one-pot construction is a real strength for weeknight cooking. North Carolina's Lowcountry food roots make this feel regional, though the dish is more Louisiana than Piedmont."