Recipe

Classic Chicken Jambalaya

Ingredients

One 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 pound boneless smoked ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups rice
2 cups Chicken Stock, or
canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned whole tomatoes, drained and crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Kick It Up! Red Pepper Sauce, or other hot sauce, plus more for serving
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons finely sliced green onions, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375?F.
Season the chicken with 2 tablespoons Essence and the salt. Heat the oil in a small Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, working in batches if necessary, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the celery, bell peppers, and onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the sausage and ham and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rice, stir to blend, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the Chicken Stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire, the remaining 1 teaspoon Essence, the pepper sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir to combine and return the chicken to the pot, nestling the pieces in the rice mixture.
Cover the pot and bake until the chicken and rice are tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand, still covered, for 5 minutes. Garnish with the green onions and serve with hot sauce.