2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pound Andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
3 small bell peppers, cored and diced (I used a mix of colors)
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
1 jalapeño pepper*, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup flour
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup uncooked white or brown rice
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning** (add more/less to taste)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper
(optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, bell peppers, celery, onion, jalapeño, and stir to combine. Continue sautéing for 5-6 more minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, and sauté for 1 more minute until the garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Gradually stir in the chicken stock, then add the crushed tomatoes, rice, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves and dried thyme. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue simmering the soup for 15 more minutes — being sure to stir the soup occasionally (yes, more!) so that the rice doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot — until the rice is cooked and tender.
