New Orleans Style Chicken, Beans & Rice

This here my friends is my version of arroz con pollo, arroz con grandules, chicken and rice, chicken and beans. All of the above. It is straight delicious. Spiced creole seasoned chicken with smokey creamy red beans all cooked together. Oh, and we cannot forget the andouille crust to add on to the flavor!

I love red beans and I’m picky about what brand red beans to use, please if you can get your hands on Camila Red Beans, they will change your life!

I soaked the beans to speed up the cooking process but canned red beans will do, you’ll just have to doctor them up a bit. Some of the trinity ( onion, green bell pepper, garlic, celery) Some smokey bacon or a ham hock, and a little bit of creole seasoning. I took some of my beans and pureed them, but that is totally optional.

Flavorful, filling and just needing a side salad to finish off the meal. I used chicken thigh meat. Mostly because it is more forgiving in long cooking situations, and stays moist and flavorful. I recommend cutting them up in pieces and pan-frying them for a bit to release some of the fat since they are pretty fatty.

What type of rice to use?!?

That is a good question. A lot of times with one pot meals, especially those containing rice, tend to either become overcooked and mushy or undercooked and hard. My rule of thumb is that I would rather add less liquid because you can always add but can’t take away. Then there is parboiled rice that is very forgiving and would need to have a lot of heat and long, long, cooking to become mushy.

Recipe: New Orleans Style Chicken, Beans & Rice

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

For the Red Beans:

• 1/2 cup smokey bacon, diced
• 1/2 cup andouille sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup red beans preferably soaked overnight
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups chicken broth or stock

For the Chicken:

• 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut up
• 4 tablespoons creole seasoning 2 tablespoons for the red beans

For the Andouille Crust:

• 6 oz andouille, pulsed in a blender or food processor
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning

Instructions:

1. In a pot over medium heat, begin cooking the bacon and andouille until browned. Add celery, green bell peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes. 
2. Add red beans, granulated garlic, bay leaf, salt, creole seasoning,, and chicken broth. Cook until beans are tender, 30-40 minutes. 
3. While the beans are cooking, season chicken thighs with the remaining 2 tablespoons of creole seasoning. In an oven-proof pan over medium heat, begin cooking the thighs to release some of the fat, 8-10 minutes. Place chicken thighs into a bowl. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the same pan, begin rendering the finely minced andouille sausage until browned. Remove from heat and place a bowl with the panko and creole seasoning, mix well and place aside. 
5. (Optional)Take 1 cup of liquid and 1/2 cup of beans, making sure to get some meat pieces,, and blend in a blender.
6. In the pan you cooked your chicken and andouille, add the rice and saute for a little bit in the fat, add chicken, bean puree,, and beans and liquid from the pot. Taste for seasoning and bake in the oven with a lid on for 25-30 minutes. At the 20-minute mark, make sure to check on liquid and test a grain of rice. It should be halfway cooked and liquid just about soaked up.