Creole Jambalaya with Chicken Thighs & Andouille

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken Thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced into coins
• 1½ cups long-grain white rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tsp Creole seasoning
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Method

1. Brown the andouille in oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high until the coins are lacquered and the fat has rendered, 5 minutes. Scoop out and reserve.
2. Season the Chicken Thighs with half the Creole seasoning and sear it in the sausage fat until well colored on the outside — it does not need to cook through yet. Set aside with the sausage.
3. Drop the heat to medium and add the onion, celery, and Bell Pepper. Cook 8 minutes until they slump and sweeten, scraping up every brown speck from the bottom — that fond is the whole flavor of the dish.
4. Stir in garlic, thyme, and the remaining seasoning for 1 minute, then the tomatoes and rice. Toast the rice in the vegetables for 2 minutes so each grain glosses over.
5. Return the meats, pour in the stock, and bring to a boil. Cover, drop to the lowest simmer, and leave it completely alone for 25 minutes. Poultry should read 165°F (74°C).
6. Kill the heat and let it steam 10 more minutes with the lid on. Fluff with a fork, fold in the scallions, and serve straight from the pot.