Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet (One Pot)

Ingredients

• 1 bell pepper, diced (I use red; green works too)
• 2 to 3 green onions, chopped
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped (or about 1 tablespoon minced garlic)
• andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1 cup rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 1 tablespoon butter
• fresh parsley, chopped (just a sprinkle — you won't need all of it)
• Cajun seasoning blend, to taste
• oil, for browning the sausage

How to Make It

1. Chop the parsley and set aside.
2. Dice the bell pepper and set aside.
3. Chop the green onions (you only need 2 to 3) and set aside.
4. Chop 4 to 5 garlic cloves, or measure about 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and set aside.
5. Slice the andouille sausage into rounds and set aside.
6. Measure 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and set aside.
7. Measure 15 ounces diced tomatoes and set aside.
8. Combine your seasonings in a small bowl, mix, and set aside.
9. Rinse 1 cup of rice until the water runs clear, then set aside.
10. Heat some oil in a hot pan over medium-high heat.
11. Brown the andouille sausage rounds on each side, about 3 to 4 minutes, then remove to the side.
12. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the same pan.
13. Add the garlic and cook briefly.
14. Add the green onions and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes.
15. Stir in the rinsed rice until evenly coated.
16. Add the seasoning blend and stir well.
17. Stir in the diced tomatoes and a sprinkle of fresh parsley until evenly incorporated.
18. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken stock.
19. Cover with a lid, turn the heat all the way up to high, and bring to a boil.
20. Once boiling, add the browned sausage back in.
21. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
22. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Curtis's Tips

• It's an easy one-pot recipe — get all your prep done first so it's a smooth transition. Mise en place: everything within arm's reach. It's all about working smarter.
• Bell pepper color is up to you — I use red, but green works too.
• You can swap chopped fresh garlic for about a tablespoon of minced garlic if you don't feel like cutting cloves.
• Rinse the rice really well, until the water runs clear.
• Keep the sausage browning to about 3 to 4 minutes per side so each side browns really well.
• You can leave the browned sausage in the pan or remove it and add it back later — I like to pull it out and bring it back in at the end.
• Lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the pan, under the lid — it keeps the steam and heat in so the rice cooks more evenly.