One Pot Chicken and Dirty Rice

Amazing Cajun-style flavors collide in this one pot chicken and dirty rice!  The crispy chicken, spicy andouille sausage and fluffy dirty rice… all made from scratch… make each bite a true explosion of flavor!

Sooooo, dishes.  Who hates ’em?  *raises hand*  The amount of dishes I do on a weekly basis as I develop and test recipes out for the blog… man, it’s just astounding.  And thankfully, my husband is ah-mazing and washes the dinner dishes for me (I cook, he washes), but even so, I just despise them.  That’s the second reason why I love this one pot chicken and dirty rice SO much.  All you have to clean is ONE pot (well, plus the plate and mixing bowl).  Yay for less pans to wash!!!

The first reason why I love this one pot chicken and dirty rice so much… is the FLAVOR!!  Yep, that deserves to be in all caps, because it’s. just. that. GOOD!  Even the leftovers will knock your socks off.  There really aren’t any surprise or secret ingredients to make it so good, it’s more about HOW it’s cooked.  The chicken and andouille cook on top of the rice, which means all the delicious juices go right down into the rice.  It’s like cooking the rice in a super concentrated chicken stock full of spices!
I used this cooking method from an amazing blogger, Nagi, from RecipeTin Eats, and just adapted it to these Cajun-style flavors!

If you’re worried about the spice, you can totally customize it to your tastes.  Here’s how…

To Make it Hotter:

• Don’t take the seeds out of the jalapeno
• Add more than one jalapeno
• Use more cayenne and red pepper flakes

To Make it Milder:

• Use a green bell pepper instead of the jalapeno
• Use less cayenne and red pepper flakes
• Substitute regular smoked sausage for the andouille

This is one instance where I realllllly love using my enameled dutch oven.  There will be baked on bits of food that will probably need soaking (which you can’t do with a regular cast iron), and it browns food like a dream.  I don’t have a fancy LeCreuset or Staub, but use my trusty Lodge pan… it works like a champ!  This is the one I have.

Give this one pot chicken and rice a chance this Fall… I really think you’ll love the Cajun-style flavors!!  Simply put, you need this dish in your life!

Ingredients

• MARINADE:
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried minced onion
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Tbsp enough olive oil to make a paste about 1
• REST OF DISH:
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 link of andouille sausage sliced into 1/4" slices
• 4 bone-in skin on chicken thighs
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup DRY long-grain rice
• 2 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
• Sliced green onions for garnish
• Minced fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add chicken thighs and turn to coat. Set aside.
2. 
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Add drizzle of olive oil to dutch oven and heat over MED-HIGH heat. Brown andouille sausage on both sides, then transfer sausage to a plate.
5. Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, to develop a nice crispy skin.
6. 
7. Transfer chicken to plate with the sausage, and use a paper towel to wipe out any black bits from the pan. Brown bits and pan drippings are good to leave in though.
8. Lower heat to MED-LOW and add in chopped onion, jalapeno and celery. Saute for about 2-3 minutes, until softened.
9. Add cayenne, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper and stir.
10. Add rice and chicken stock, give it a stir, and let simmer for 1 minute.
11. Nestle chicken thighs and sausage on top of the rice (pour in the juices that are left on the plate as well). Return to a simmer, then cover.
12. 
13. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (covered).
14. Remove cover and bake another 10-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed into the rice.
15. Garnish with sliced green onions and minced parsley!