Fat Tuesday Pepper Jam–Glazed Cajun Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

Fat Tuesday Pepper Jam–Glazed Cajun Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

Serves 6–8 | One-pot comfort with Mardi Gras flair

Why it works

This dish layers smoky sausage, juicy chicken, Cajun spices, and a sweet-heat pepper jam glaze that melts into the jambalaya for richness and depth—perfect for celebrating before Lent.

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Ingredients

Pepper Jam Glaze

½ cup Rollicking Buckaroo Pepper Jam

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp cayenne (optional, for extra heat)

Jambalaya

2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs (skin on for richness)

12 oz andouille sausage, sliced

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 ribs celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups long-grain rice

4 cups chicken stock (warm)

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp oregano

2 bay leaves

Salt & black pepper to taste

Optional: 1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined

Finish & Garnish

Sliced scallions

Fresh parsley

Lemon wedges

Instructions

Make the Pepper Jam Glaze
In a small saucepan, warm pepper jam, Worcestershire, vinegar, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Sear the Chicken
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil. Sear chicken skin-side down until deeply golden. Remove and set aside.

Build the Base
In the same pot, brown the andouille sausage.
Add onion, peppers, and celery. Cook until softened and fragrant. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Toast the Rice
Add rice to the pot, stirring to coat in the drippings. Cook 1–2 minutes until slightly nutty.

Bring It Together
Pour in chicken stock, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and ⅓ cup of the pepper jam glaze. Stir well.

Nestle & Simmer
Place chicken thighs back into the pot, skin side up.
Cover and simmer on low for 30–35 minutes until rice is tender.

Optional Shrimp Finish
Stir shrimp into the rice, brush chicken with remaining glaze, cover, and cook 5–7 minutes until shrimp are pink.

Rest & Serve
Remove bay leaves. Rest 5 minutes. Garnish generously with scallions, parsley, and lemon.

Serving Suggestions (Very Fat Tuesday)

• Buttered cornbread or cheddar biscuits

• Collard greens or braised cabbage

• A cold beer or classic Hurricane mocktail