Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (quartered and patted dry (recipe note #1))
• 12 ounces andouille sausage (or other smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds)
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 3 ribs celery (diced)
• 1 large green bell pepper (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled and coarsely chopped)
• 14 1/2 ounce diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (or Cajun seasoning (recipe note #2))
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 pound shrimp (shelled and deveined)
• 5 cups hot cooked rice ((recipe note #3))
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• hot pepper sauce (or cayenne pepper, to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 teaspoons of oil and swirl to coat. Add half of the chicken and sausage; cook and stir until browned on all sides, but not cooked through. Transfer to 6-quart slow cooker; repeat with remaining chicken and sausage. (Add more oil if needed for the second batch).

2. 2

   Return skillet to stove over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 teaspoons of oil along with garlic, onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook and stir, scraping up any browned bits until vegetables are softened. Transfer to chicken and sausage mixture in slow cooker.

3. 3

   To mixture in slow cooker add tomatoes, Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir mixture to combine and set slow cooker to High; cook for 4 hours.

4. 4

   In the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in shrimp. Once shrimp is cooked through stir in desired amount of hot cooked rice (add a little at a time to get the balance you're looking for). Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper. Serve.