Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya

This Jambalaya is such great comfort food for a cold winter's night. It is a good, hearty, one-bowl meal to serve on game or movie night, or while everyone is gathered around the fireplace to welcome in the new year. 

Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya
(Serves 4 to 6.)

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 medium rib celery, chopped

• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

• 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

• 8 ounces cooked chorizo (or other spicy sausage), sliced

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

• 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes

• 1 cup bottled clam juice

• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• Hot sauce

• 2 large bay leaves

• 1 pound medium-large shrimp (31 to 35 shrimp per pound), shelled

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya

Warm the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.

Add the rice, salt, thyme, and cayenne. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is coated with fat, about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, clam juice, chicken broth, hot sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in the cooked chicken and sausage. Replace the cover and continue to simmer about 10 minutes more until rice is completely cooked and the chicken and sausage are completely warmed through.

Scatter the shrimp over the rice, cover, and continue to cook until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, just a minute or two.

When the shrimp are cooked, discard the bay leaves. Stir in the parsley and serve immediately.