Quick and Easy - but Delicious - Jambalaya!

Even though I'm a born-and-raised Arizonan, both of my grandparents are from southern Louisiana. As a result, I grew up eating a lot of good, homecooked Cajun food!! This isn't a family recipe, but it rivals any I've had. (It's a combination of several recipes I found online.) I find myself craving it once every couple of weeks...luckily my boyfriend loves it too! :-) This can be made with 2 pounds of chicken, or 1 lb chicken + 1 lb smoked sausage. The chicken / shrimp is our favorite way to make it, and the chicken / smoked sausage is a close second.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6

Ingredients

• 1  cup  uncooked rice
• 1  lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1  lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  bell pepper, chopped
• 2  stalks celery, diced
• 1  medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon basil
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's creole seasoning)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  teaspoon  hot pepper sauce
• 1  bay leaf

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions (I cook it in chicken broth for more flavor).
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat.
3. Cook the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic until tender.
4. Add the meat and sauté until cooked.
5. Stir in the tomatoes, seasonings, and cooked rice.
6. Cover and cook until heated through.