Shrimp Jambalaya

2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 oz. smoked sausage, sliced
1 tsp. paprika
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Anaheim chili, seeded and chopped*
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces**
1/2 lb. peeled, raw medium shrimp
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/3 cup long-grain rice
2 1/3 cups chicken stock***
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Salt and cayenne pepper

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the sausage and fry until lightly browned. Stir in the paprika.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the onion, chili, and celery. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned.

Add the chicken, shrimp, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano and fry over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and ½ teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.****

Stir in the green onions and some cayenne pepper to taste. Serves 3-4 people.

*Recipe calls for green bell pepper and red chili pepper. I used an Anaheim because I didn’t like the look of the bell peppers and red chilies in the store today and I also didn’t want it to be too spicy.

**I sprinkled the chicken with kosher salt for some extra seasoning and also to compensate for the fact that I used salt-free chicken stock.

***I used a little too much chicken stock and ended up cooking the jambalaya longer than the recipe calls for.

****More like 20 minutes plus additional time to sit with the lid on.