I asked my dad this week what he wanted me to make for dinner when I came to visit the coming weekend. He said chicken and rice. I immediately warned him that he would be eating cauliflower “rice,” not real rice. Upon obtaining his consent to my current culinary preoccupation and dietary constraints, I set out to look for yet another recipe to use in transforming cauliflower into low carb rice.
After researching many possibilities, a logical marriage of chicken and rice appeared. Chicken and rice appear to be quite the bosom buddies in Louisiana, and so I set out to devise a Jambalaya with cauliflower “rice”
Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya with Cauliflower “Rice”
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 cup celery, chopped
1 (28 oz) can diced or crushed tomatoes in juice
1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste
juice of one lemon
1 boullion cube
1-2 lbs. chicken, cut into cubes
1 bay leaf
one medium head of cauliflower, riced
1 tablespoon chili powder (the mix of spices for making chili)
1 tablespoon cajun spice mix (I use Badia)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
salt, to taste
2 bell peppers chopped
7 oz sausage, chopped
2-3 bunches of green onions, snipped or chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan, or optionally a crockpot on high. When butter is melted, stir in onions, garlic and celery. Saute until softened. Add the tomatoes (if using crockpot, discard juice), tomato paste, lemon juice, boullion cube, chicken and bay leaf. Cover and allow to simmer over low fire.
Rice your cauliflower in batches in a food processor. Fold into a clean kitchen towel and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine spices in a small bowl or ramekin. Add a tablespoon of the final spice mix to the simmering chicken.
Place sausage and peppers in a small casserole dish. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes until sausage starts to get a little golden brown. Stir up the sausage and pepper mixture at least twice during the roasting to get it done evenly.
Empty cauliflower into a clean bowl. Add oil, salt, green onions and the remainder of the spice mix. Stir well to combine so that spices are evenly distributed.
When chicken reaches desired tenderness, mix in the sausage and peppers. Serve the chicken and sausage mixture over the rice. Enjoy!