Jambalaya Soup

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 pound Andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds

3 small bell peppers, cored and diced (I used a mix of colors)

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 small white onion, peeled and diced

1 jalapeño pepper*, seeded and finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup flour

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup uncooked white or brown rice

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning** (add more/less to taste)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

salt and pepper

(optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce)

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, bell peppers, celery, onion, jalapeño, and stir to combine. Continue sautéing for 5-6 more minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, and sauté for 1 more minute until the garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Gradually stir in the chicken stock, then add the crushed tomatoes, rice, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves and dried thyme. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue simmering the soup for 15 more minutes — being sure to stir the soup occasionally (yes, more!) so that the rice doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot — until the rice is cooked and tender.

Stir in the shrimp and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through (it should be pink and opaque, not gray).

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Then serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes if desired.