Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya

Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya is a filling meal.  Rice, Chicken and Shrimp smothered in a mildly spicy tomato sauce.  How could you go wrong?

The basic traditional recipe for Jambalaya cooks meat and vegetables then adds stock and raw rice then cooks until the rice absorbs most, if not all, of the liquid.   This jambalaya recipe shortens the cook time by adding cooked rice.   Because we are using cooked rice, we are not including any stock.  The cooked rice absorbs most, if not all, of the liquid from the tomatoes which gives the rice a rich flavor.  If you prefer to use raw rice, you will need more liquid, like chicken or seafood stock, so that the rice cooks through.

My favorite rice is Basmati rice.   It is a slender, long grain and aromatic rice.  It traditionally comes from the Indian subcontinent.   Basmati rice is grown on other continents, too.  It is available in both white and brown varieties.  I purchase it in a large quantity because it is more economical.   I cook basmati rice in a rice pot and freeze the cooked rice in single-serving portions.  It takes a couple minutes to defrost the frozen rice in the microwave, which makes it a quick and easy side dish.   You can use your favorite type of rice when making Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya. 

This Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya dish is mild.  If you like your jambalaya with more heat, add more hot sauce.  My husband doesn't like foods that have a lot of heat, so I use just one teaspoon of hot sauce.  I sometimes omit the hot sauce altogether.

You can feed a small crowd with this Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya recipe.  Add a side salad, bread and some applesauce and you have a complete meal.  All of those sides are cooling side dishes that go well with a "warm" or spicy dish.   

I hope you enjoy the Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya!