Jambalaya with Crispy Corn Fritters and Cucumber Salad

A robust, slow-simmered Jambalaya loaded with chicken, low-sodium Andouille sausage, and shrimp, seasoned deeply with Creole spices. Served with crispy corn fritters and a light, tangy cucumber salad for textural and flavor contrast.

• Prep: 45 min
• Cook: 1 hr 15 min
• Total: 2 hr
• Servings: 2
• Cuisine: Creole
• Difficulty: Hard

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• spicy
• savory
• comfort food
• classic
• rich
• stir-fry

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounce Andouille sausage (low-sodium, diced)
• 1 chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, diced)
• 0.5 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 0.5 green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 celery stalk (diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (low-sodium)
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 0.25 teaspoon dried thyme
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes (no-salt-added, undrained)
• 1.5 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
• 0.5 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
• 6 ounce shrimp (uncooked, peeled and deveined)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped, divided)
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels ((about 2 ears))
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg (large, beaten)
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives (chopped)
• 0.25 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil
• 1 English cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped)

Instructions

1. For the Jambalaya: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep pot over medium-high heat. Add diced low-sodium Andouille sausage and chicken thigh pieces. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
2. Add diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, and celery stalk to the pot. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, low-sodium Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in no-salt-added diced tomatoes (undrained) and low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Add uncooked long-grain white rice. Stir once, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes without stirring.
4. After 20 minutes, gently stir in the reserved sausage and chicken, and the uncooked shrimp. Recover and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until rice is tender and shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
5. For the Crispy Corn Fritters: While Jambalaya simmers, combine fresh corn kernels, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, beaten egg, 2 tablespoons milk, chopped fresh chives, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
6. Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Drop spoonfuls of the corn fritter batter into the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Keep warm.
7. For the Cucumber Salad: In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add thinly sliced English cucumber and chopped fresh mint. Toss to combine.
8. Fluff the Jambalaya gently with a fork and stir in half of the chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot, topped with remaining fresh parsley, alongside crispy corn fritters and refreshing cucumber salad.

Notes

Do not stir the rice too much while the jambalaya simmers to prevent it from becoming gummy. Ensure your corn fritters are cooked through for optimal crispiness.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 870
• Protein: 58 g
• Carbohydrates: 85 g
• Fat: 33 g
• Fiber: 9 g
• Sodium: 460 mg
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Sugar: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 220 mg