Jalapeno Jambalaya

How many jalapenos are too many jalapenos? This is the question I asked myself while staring at the container of Jalapenos sitting on my kitchen counter. 1/2 lb of Jalapenos! That’s a lot of jalapenos. That’s gotta be too hot, right? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it’s the perfect amount of heat?

Now, I like spicy foods but I LOVE flavor; nobody does spice and flavor better than the south. So, I turned to Louisiana for inspiration. Gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee – the cajun trinity! I wish I could tell you there was some grand reason for choosing to make a jambalaya dish. But I just love alliteration. Jalapeno Jambalaya sounded good and, I’ll tell you what, it tastes even better!

I also want to say that I am not a spice junkie. I don’t need to prove to myself that I have a tongue forged in hellfire; that’s able to withstand the heat of a thousand suns! I find that Jalapenos are the perfect pepper for when you want to add a little kick to a dish. 1/2lb of Jalapenos is spicy BUT it’s not overwhelming and you can absolutely adjust the number of jalapenos without compromising the flavors in this recipe.

Print Recipe

Jalapeno Jambalaya

Course

Main Dish

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb jalapenoes diced with half of the seeds removed
• 2 yellow onions diced
• 1 lb sweet peppers diced
• 1 lb bacon
• 14 oz smoked sausage sliced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice

Course Main Dish Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Servings servings Ingredients 1/2 lb jalapenoes diced with half of the seeds removed 2 yellow onions diced 1 lb sweet peppers diced 1 lb bacon 14 oz smoked sausage sliced 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 6 cloves garlic minced 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tbsp cajun seasoning 1 tbsp peanut butter 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups uncooked long grain rice

Instructions

1. Slice bacon into bite-size pieces. Fry in skillet. Reserve the bacon grease; set bacon pieces aside on a paper towel lined plate.
2. Dice jalapeno, onion, and sweet peppers. Then, add to a large pot, cover with bacon grease and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes; stirring often.
3. Add bacon, smoked sausage, brown sugar, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, peanut butter, apple cider vinegar, and garlic to pot. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add uncooked rice and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to simmer. Cook, uncovered, 25-30 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stirring every 5 minutes so rice doesn't stick to the bottom.
5. Enjoy!