I already got my goto gumbo recipe, so I decided I need a basic goto jambalaya recipe.  Guess what… score!  This can be prepared by anyone.  If you are just looking for a one pot dish that will feed about a dozen people, this is it.  I found this recipe on an awesome blog called Gimme Some Oven.  I plan to explore the site much more after this winner.

Preparations:
Dice 1 large onion
Dice one of each yellow, green and red bell pepper
Dice 2 ribs of celery
Mince 4 cloves of garlic
Dice 1 whole jalapeño

Add all of the prepared vegetables to a pot heated with a tablespoon of olive oil, and once they are cooked thru nicely add cut up boneless skinless chicken breasts and a pound of andouille sausage with a bay leaf.

Once the vegetables and chicken are cooked, add 3 cups of chicken broth, 14oz of crushed tomatoes and a 1 1/2 cups of brown rice.   This is also the step that you begin to add the seasoning, like 2 tablespoons of creole seasonings, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme

When the rice begins to finish cooking. Add a pound of shrimp and a cup of okra.

This dish will only get better with time.  When all of the broth is absorbed, this dish will be a treat for a casual dinner party, tailgate, or even a potluck.

I took the liberty of lightening up this recipe with the use of brown rice and chicken andouille sausage, and I used 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp instead of the 1 pound to stretch it a bit, and besides who doesn’t like shrimp.