Mardi Gras is the sort of celebration that can make every city in America want to be New Orleans. Between the parties and parades and all those rich foods, what’s not to love?
Well, perhaps the after effects of all those rich foods.
—
Chicken and rice jambalaya
This dish gets better with time, so don’t hesitate to make it up to 24 hours in advance.
4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks (about 15 ounces)
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces chicken and turkey andouille sausage (such as Applegate Farms), cut in to 1-inch slices
1 teaspoon adobo powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2⁄3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 (8-ounce) packages Miracle Rice, rinsed
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained
Cilantro, for garnish, optional
Chopped green onions, for garnish, optional
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Once the oil has started to smoke, add chicken. Brown 2 to 3 minutes, turning the pieces once. Remove chicken from pan and add sausage, browning it for about 1 minute, turning the pieces once.
Add adobo and chile powder and cook 30 seconds. Add onions, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook slowly until soft, browned and caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes. Add peppers and garlic and cook until soft, another 2 minutes.
Add the browned chicken, broth, Miracle Rice and black beans and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, over medium to low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper and divide between 4 serving bowls.
Servings » 4
Source: Rocco DiSpirito, author of the “Now Eat This!” and “Now Eat This! Diet” cookbooks.
 |
Join the Discussion |
 |
Post a Comment |
This downsized version of jambalaya, a classic Cajun dish, takes a little of the fat out of Fat Tuesday. Jambalaya is basically a one-pot meal in which rice is a main ingredient. The trouble with rice — especially white rice — is that it is loaded with carbohydrates and calories.
To deal with that, my jambalaya contains a product called Miracle Rice. This is a variety of shirataki noodle, an increasingly popular variety of ultra-low calorie noodle products. Miracle Rice has no calories, no fat, no carbs and no sodium. It resembles a large couscous and has an extremely mild flavor.
This means it takes well to whatever other flavors you add, making it a perfect base for a high-flavor dish like jambalaya.
If you can’t find Miracle Rice at the grocery store, it is available online. You also could substitute cooked brown rice, though this will increase the calories and carbs.
The rest of this dish is built around the basic trinity of Cajun cooking — bell peppers, onion and beans. Chili powder provides the kick. I’ve trimmed the fat and calories from the protein, which usually consists of ham, sausage or duck. I use leaner chicken and turkey sausage instead.
The result has just 233 calories and 8 grams of fat per serving. Traditional recipes have 16 grams of fat and 767 calories.
Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
