Jobe Gwin's Pastalaya

Jobe Gwin's Pastalaya

A little Cajun, a little Creole. This isn't a substitute for jambalaya — but it just might become your family's next favorite meal. ~Jobe Gwin

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
• 2 onions
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of jalapeño soup (cream of chicken works too)
• 1 can hot Rotel
• 1 jalapeño (omit if using cream of jalapeño and hot Rotel)
• 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, divided
• 1 tablespoon chicken base (or 3 bouillon cubes)
• 3½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon browning sauce (Savoie's preferred)
• 1 lb (16 oz) penne pasta

Directions:

1. Chop onions, bell pepper, celery, and green onions into large pieces. Pulse in a food processor until just before puréed. Refrigerate. Purée hot Rotel separately and refrigerate.
2. Season chicken with ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Heat a cast iron pot, add olive oil, and cook chicken about 10 minutes until almost done. Remove and set aside.
3. Add sausage to the pot and brown for 8–10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Cook down blended vegetables for 7–10 minutes, scraping up any fond from the pot. Add garlic and chicken base 2–3 minutes before done.
5. Preheat oven to 300°F.
6. Add water, cream of jalapeño soup, hot sauce, puréed Rotel, and browning sauce to the pot. Bring to a soft boil.
7. Add raw pasta, chicken, and sausage. Mix well, pressing everything down so it touches the liquid.
8. Once it comes back to a slight boil, turn off the stove, cover, and place in oven for 1 hour.
9. Remove from oven, crack the lid to vent for a few minutes, then stir and serve.

Source:

Jobe Gwin, inspired by the Cajun Ninja recipe