Chicken Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 2½ pounds bone-in chicken parts

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  Add to the skillet and brown:

• 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced, or 8 ounces smoked ham, diced

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced

• 1 celery rib, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

  Add and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• ¼ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste

  Stir in:

• 2 cups chicken stock or broth or water

• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

  Return the chicken and andouille to the skillet. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, 5 to 8 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in before serving:

• ¼ cup chopped parsley

Directions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

3. Add the sausage and brown. Transfer to the plate with chicken. Drain off all but 2 table-spoons of the drippings. Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes.

4. Add and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat rice, tomato paste and cayenne pepper, to taste. then stir in: chicken stock or broth or water and diced tomatoes.

5. Add salt, thyme, bay leaf

6. Return the chicken and andouille to the skillet. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, 5 to 8 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in parsley before serving.