1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage, cut length wise in half, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 bag frozen shrimp. (medium to large sized) or use 1 lb. of fresh shrimp, cleaned, without tails
4 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups chopped green & red bell peppers
1 whole clove of garlic (minced)
4 bay leaves
5 cups chicken stock or water flavored with chicken bouillon
2 tbsp. seasoning salt
1/4 cup paprika (yes I said a cup!)
1/2 cup v8 juice (can use tomato juice as well)
4 cups long-grain rice (use wild-rice for a healthier dish)
2 cups chopped green onions or scallions (green part only)

Season chicken with salt and pepper; brown in hot oil using an 8-quart Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-high heat.

Once chicken is cooked, add sausage; cook together for 5 to 7 minutes, or until sausage has a golden brown look to it. VIP: Sausage needs to be cooked thoroughly to prevent food poisoning. Remove both chicken & sausage from the pan and set aside for later.

Using same pot, add a touch more oil, then add onions, celery, mushrooms, bell peppers, bay leaves and garlic; cook, stirring 7 to 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to wilt.

While vegetables are cooking, use separate pot to boil chicken bouillon cubes. Boil 5 cups of water with the bouillon cubes. Once boiled stir into stockpot with vegetables, along with V8 juice.

Add chicken, sausage and seasoning salt to pot. Bring to a boil.

Add rice and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 10 minutes; remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely. Replace cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes more or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

While everything is cooking, using a separate pan, cook shrimp in oil and seasonings with crushed red or cayenne pepper. If using frozen shrimp, be sure to let the shrimp thaw before cooking. VIP: for a spicier Jambalaya, be very generous with the red or cayenne pepper and add to taste. Once cooked, set aside for later.

Finally, stir in green onions, paprika and shrimp! Serve it up hot and ENJOY!

Important Tips:

Use 1 cup of rice for every 2 cups of vegetables (onions, celery, mushrooms, bell peppers).

Use 1 1/4 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of uncooked rice; 1 cup of uncooked rice will make 3 cups of cooked rice, season accordingly.

If using an electric stove, reduce cooking time by 3 to 4 minutes.

That’s it!! You’re going to have lots of food! So invite your friends and family over for one fantastic meal!! Goes great with a spicy, bold red wine, like a Red Zinfandel or an Australian Shiraz!

Makes 12 to 15 servings.

Submitted by: Mark Padvaiskas