Superbowl Jambalaya

With everyone and their bookie cooking up a pot of chili for the big game on Sunday, stand out from the crowd by making the spicy dish New Orleans Saints fans comforted themselves with after their team missed their shot to go to the Superbowl this year. Native to the southern Louisiana region of the United States, jambalaya offers a mixture of rice with a blend of seasoned meat and vegetables, but with Spanish, French, and Caribbean influences. Like chili, jambalaya can be satisfying if it's made with tomatoes (Creole style) or without (Cajun style).  So for those of you who are actually interested in the game, I wish good luck to all the Eagles' fans out there, and all the bad things to happen to those who cheer for the Evil Empire from New England.*

Ingredients:

910 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
455 g smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces (I went with the Chorizo and caramelized onion and pepper varieties from Seed to Sausage)
15 g Old Bay seasoning
5 g dried oregano
710 mL chicken broth
15 mL canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 cans diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if available)
Sliced scallions (optional)
1 large white onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped

• (So prevalent are the last three ingredients in Louisiana cooking they are referred to as the holy trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking)

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in either a Dutch oven or a large pot. Add the chicken and the sausage, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the meat is browned on all sides. Remove everything from the pot with a slotted spoon, and place it in a bowl lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, bay leaves, Old Bay, thyme, and oregano to the pot of hot drippings and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in the rice, and let it cook for about 3 minutes. 
3. Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, and the meats. Bring everything to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender (good with however long the instruction that came with the rice says you should cook it). Garnish with sliced scallions, if desired.
   
   This recipe yields a lot, so either have a lot of hearty eaters on hand or prepare for leftovers.

Superbowl Jambalaya

^*I'm a New York Jets fan, by law, I am allowed to be this bitter about the most dominant team of a generation.