Lighten Up! Southern Jambalaya

This recipe is definitely not Texan, but I can say it’s been part of my life as I am from the South. If I cook it the traditional way I use American long grain rice and chorizo sausage (Spanish dried sausage), and it really got greasy, so I tried to change a few ingredients lower some of the fat, and add some more nutrition. I replaced the white rice with whole grain brown basmati rice and replaced the sausage with a smoked reduced fat pork sausage. This recipe makes a lot, enough to feed more than 4, but it also freezes well and makes great freezer meals.

400g (12-14oz) diced chicken breasts
200g prawns (shrimp)
1 200g link of sausage (preferably reduced fat)
1 large onion
3-4 ribs celery
1 bunch of spring onions
1 large red pepper (or whatever colour you want)
3-4 cloves garlic
2 c brown basmati rice (or whatever you have)
4 cups water (about 2 pints)
1 chicken stock cube
4 tbsp. Paprika divided
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. olive oil ( you will need less if you use chorizo sausage)


To start:
Dice celery, onions, pepper and garlic set aside.
Dice into chunks the chicken, and slice the sausage set aside.
Make your stock.
Keep your spices out.

To Cook:
In a large stock pot, heat oil.
When hot add chicken, sausage and half the paprika and sauté about 8 minutes until the chicken is half cooked.
Remove from pan.
If you need more oil add another tbsp., and then add the vegetables, garlic and brown sugar. (if dry add ¼ c water. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften.
Add the rice and the stock, stir and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Continue stirring, and add the remaining spices.
Make sure the pot is at a steady simmer and keep it there for 20 minutes.
Return to stir, and add prawns/shrimp, sliced spring onions last 5 minutes of cooking.
The Jambalaya will be done when the rice is soft. If it hasn’t gotten soft enough simply add more water.