Leftover jambalaya.
B&M Catering offers full-service and drop-off buffet catering. What to do with all the leftovers? Amanda shares her recipe for shrimp, chicken, sausage jambalaya

Our customers are always commenting on the amount of leftovers they have after a B&M Catered Event. Just take a look at our testimonials! Whether we have provided a full service event or a drop off buffet, we take pride in making sure that everyone has a variety and a good amount of delicious foods for their guests. But what to do when the party is over and we’ve packed up the leftovers of steak, sausage, chicken, and more into containers in the host’s refrigerator?

Here comes the Jambalaya

jambalaya

Amanda often suggests that folks consider cooking up a Jambalaya.  She notes that this dish lends itself well to using leftovers. Jambalaya is a popular Creole or Cajun dish of rice, meats and vegetables, simmered in a flavorful stock and most often enjoyed in the Southeast United States. It is often thought of as a Louisiana dish.
Jambalaya is usually thicker than soup. Folks love Jambalaya because it can be inexpensive, is flavorful and, really, can be changed easily to include whatever you might have on hand. Seafood Jambalaya is also an alternate and popular version of the dish.  

Other ingredients typically found in Jambalaya might be tomatoes, onions, celery, red or green peppers.  In general, the vegetables are sautéed and the meats are cooked.  After that, broth or water, tomatoes, seasoning and uncooked rice go into the pot.  Everything simmers until the rice is done.  Toward the end of the the cooking time, you can add shrimp, or other foods that you wouldn’t want to be overcooked.

Often, our clients tell us that they have had a good amount of leftover chicken and chourico (Portuguese sausage) Here is a suggested recipe for using up those ingredients in a hearty, healthy dish to serve the whole family.

Jambalaya using B&M Catering’s Leftover Chicken and Chourico

Our favorite Creole Seasoning:

  • 2 parts salt
  • 2 parts black pepper
  • 2 parts paprika
  • 1 part onion powder
  • 1 part cayenne powder
  • 1 part dried oregano
  • 1 part dried thyme 

Ingredients for Jambalaya:

  • Leftover chicken and chourico diced into 1 inch pieces (2 or more cups each)
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 large onion – diced
  • 1 medium green pepper – diced
  • 3 stalks celery – diced
  • 4-6 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 can crushed Italian tomatoes and…
    • optional: 1 medium tomato diced
    • optional: 1 Tbl tomato paste 
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
    • optional: 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 cup uncooked rice (your choice – long grain, white, brown, etc)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Vegetable or olive oil for cooking
  • optional:1/2 – 1 cup sliced green onions

 What to do:

Place the chicken and chourico in a large bowl.  Sprinkle on the desired amount of creole seasoning and mix well.  Leave aside.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over high heat with the onion, celery and pepper. After approximately 3 minutes, add the garlic and tomatoes.  Add the sauces. Now, stir in the rice.  Slowly add the chicken broth. Bring the heat down to medium.  You will cook this just until the rice absorbs the liquid and becomes tender (about 15 minutes, depending on the rice you’ve used).  Be sure to stir occasionally. Now, you are ready to add the meats.  Since they have been precooked, you will cook these just long enough to heat them up.  Season the dish to taste with the leftover Creole seasoning, salt and pepper.

Optional: top with green onions and/or additional hot sauce.

Consider these additions:

  • frozen corn or scraped corn-on-the-cob
  • a can of white beans (rinsed and drained)
  • other leftovers – shrimp, clams, steak

We hope you will give our Jambalaya recipe a try. Let us know how it comes out!

Have you used your B&M Catering leftovers in a different way?  We would love to share your recipe with our customers.  Send your recipe to info @ clambakeco.com or share it on our Facebook page.