Microwave chicken jambalaya
Rice cooked right in a spicy tomato broth with peppers, onions, ham and chicken, a whole pot of Louisiana flavor from one bowl for under two and a half dollars.
- 30 min total
- 8 min hands-on
- A little more hands-on
- Serves 1
- About $2.29 a serving
- 380 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 1 servings.
- ⅓ cup long-grain white rice
- ½ cup diced tomatoes and green chiles, with its juice
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ⅓ cup frozen pepper and onion blend
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- ¼ cup diced cooked ham
- ½ cup canned chicken breast, drained
- 1 green onion, torn into small pieces (optional)
From your pantry
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch dried thyme
Each serving has about 380 calories, 26 g protein, 59 g carbs and 4 g fat, and costs about $2.29 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No long-grain white rice? Jasmine rice or basmati rice works.
- No chicken broth? Vegetable broth or bone broth works.
- No green onions? Chives work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the rice in a large microwave-safe bowl: cover it with cold water, swirl it with the fork, and pour the cloudy water off, holding the rice back with the fork.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Dolly’s tip: That’s how you rinse rice without a strainer. It washes off loose starch, which is what makes rice gummy.in the diced tomatoes and green chiles with their juice, the broth, peppers and onions, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and thyme.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Set the bowl on a plate and microwave uncovered on high for 5 minutes, until it’s bubbling hard.
Timer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: Use your biggest bowl. Rice liquid boils up high and a small bowl will overflow.Stir, cover with a plate, and microwave at 50% power for 10 minutes so it until the rice has soaked up most of the liquid.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Timer: 10 min
Dolly’s tip: Half power keeps it gently bubbling instead of boiling dry.Stir in the ham and chicken, cover, and microwave 1 minute on high, until steaming.
Timer: 1 min
Food safety: Rotisserie chicken, deli meat, canned tuna and cooked shrimp are already cooked. Keep them cold until you use them, and heat them until steaming hot if the recipe warms them.
Leave it covered for 5 minutes so the rice finishes softening in the steam.
Timer: 5 min
Fluff with the fork and taste a grain. If it’s still firm, add of water, cover, and microwave 1 to 2 minutes more.
Splash. A splash is a small, quick pour, about a teaspoon to a tablespoon. It’s there to loosen or brighten a dish, so the exact amount doesn’t matter.
How you’ll know: The dish looks a little looser or tastes a little brighter, not soupy.
Scatter the green onion over and eat it hot, or cool it, cover it and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Dolly’s tip: Reheat until steaming all the way through, stirring halfway.Food safety: Put leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat until steaming hot, 165°F.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
