Mom's Chicken Jambalaya

This was a family favorite growing up. My Mom called it chicken jambalaya, though it is not authentic. It is more like chicken and rice. I have experimented quite a bit with this recipe, sometimes adding saffron or smoked sausage. I have also made this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks. But, I always go back to my mother's original recipe, with just MINOR tweaks. My Mom always used a whole cut up chicken, but I do not like white meat. She also usually left the skin on the chicken, but we always pulled it off before eating it, since it would be soggy. I find removing it before cooking allows the seasonings to be better absorbed. Sometimes I also make this without the chicken and use it as a side dish for another protein. Whatever tweaking you do, DO NOT leave out the green pepper or the hot sauce. It just WOULD NOT be the same recipe without them! For convenience, you can use a bag of frozen chopped onions and peppers, thawed.


1 ½ tsp dried thyme
¾ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp salt
8 chicken thighs, skin removed (or 4 legs and 4 thighs)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 Tbsp. hot sauce
2 cups white rice

Sprinkle chicken with ½ tsp thyme, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ¼ tsp salt. Heat olive oil in a deep pot or dutch oven. Brown chicken in batches, about 5 minutes for each side. Remove and set aside. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Saute until translucent. Add water, bouillon cubes, 1 tsp thyme, ½ tsp pepper and hot sauce, Bring to a boil. Add white rice and chicken pieces. Lower heat to a simmer, Simmer 20-25 minutes, until water is absorbed.