Issue date:  February, 2012
Courtesy of: Executive Chef Holly Goetting of Charley G’s, Lafayette, LA
Servings:  Serves 6 to 8
Pairings:  Abadia Retuerta Rivola 

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound andouille, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken thigh meat*
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and diced
• 2 10-ounce cans Rotel tomatoes
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups long-grain Louisiana rice
• 3 bay leaves salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Instructions: 

Heat oil in a large cast iron or stainless pot over medium heat, add andouille and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove andouille and set aside. In the same pot, place chicken and brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook thigh meat.

Remove chicken and set aside; lower heat and add butter, onion, celery, and peppers to same pot and sauté 8 to 10 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

Add Rotel tomatoes, garlic, jalapeños, oregano, fresh thyme, and tomato paste. Cook until vegetables and herbs are blended well.

Add broth and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in rice, sausage, chicken, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.

Add green onions, parsley, lemon juice, shrimp, and stir well. Cover pot, remove from heat, and let steam for 15 minutes until shrimp are cooked throughout. Don’t forget to take out the bay leaves before serving.

*Chef’s note: For a more traditional Louisiana taste, use 1 pound of smoked chicken, removed from bone and chopped. To use smoked chicken instead of boneless thighs, do not sear the chicken after the andouille. Instead, simply add it when you stir in the rice, sausage, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and continue with recipe from there.