Jambalaya

Instructions:

1. Begin by placing the trimmed chicken breast in a pot filled with water. Bring it to a boil and cook for 35 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through. While the chicken is boiling, continue with the following steps.

   • For additional heat, add more Tabasco sauce to your individual bowl if needed. (Most likely not needed since this dish is fairly spicy as it is.) For wimps, reduce the jalapeno and Tabasco by about 10%.

2. While the chicken boils, dice the celery, onion, bell pepper, and deseeded jalapeño. Then, slice the sausage. Add these prepared vegetables and sausage to a large, thick pot (to prevent scorching and ensure there's enough space for the entire jambalaya). Then add the olive oil to the pot. Place the pot over medium heat and sauté the mixture for about 12-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.

   • Cook the jambalaya in a heavy duty pot or dutch oven to keep rice from sticking to the pot during cooking.

3. While the chicken and vegetables are cooking, measure out the water, chicken bouillon, Tabasco sauce, bay leaves, diced Roma tomatoes, and premixed jambalaya seasoning into a separate container. Once the vegetables are sautéed, pour this mixture into the pot. Reduce the heat to a simmer/low.

   • Premixed jambalaya seasoning (See Spice Blends to premake batch.)

4. Add the uncooked parboiled style rice to the pot, mixing well with the other ingredients. Keep heat on simmer and make sure the pot is covered.

5. After the chicken has finished boiling, drain and shred it. An efficient way to shred chicken is using a hand mixer with beaters. Once shredded, add the chicken to the pot with the rest of the ingredients.

6. Allow the mixture to simmer while covered for roughly 35 minutes, or until the water has fully evaporated, stirring every 5-10 minutes to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.