Jambalaya

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and slice the sausage on a diagonal.

~5 min

Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the chicken and sausage until browned.

~6 min

Why: The rendered sausage fat is the base of flavor that soaks into the rice later.

Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and minced garlic and sauté until softened.

~5 min

Add the rice, unwashed, and sauté together.

~2 min

Why: Not rinsing the rice keeps the starch on the surface, which helps it bind with the sauce and coats it with the oil so it doesn't get mushy.

Add the tomatoes, stock, cayenne, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.

~3 min

Cover and simmer over low heat 15–18 minutes until the rice is cooked.

~17 min

Watch out: Lifting the lid too often lets steam escape and leaves the rice undercooked — keep it covered until time is up.

Add the shrimp and cook 5 more minutes to finish.

~5 min