Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Who dat? Dat is the best chicken jambalaya! In the "Supperbowls" of Nawlins-style jambalayas, this is a winner!

To honor the New Orleans Saints today, I made a pot of jambalaya with lots of spice to hope they heat things up against Indiana. I took a chance on a recipe that I actually found on a website for a northern city covering the topic of Louisiana. I am not sure how authentic it is according to anyone living in Acadia, but I can assure you that it is absolutely delicious with quite a depth of spice! I do not use chili powder from the average supermarket, and I hope you don't, either. The chili powder I use is from the Indian market, Patel Brothers, and is the finely ground powder. It is ten times spicier than the supermarket kind, thankfully!

I have been trying to play around with effects on my camera to start taking better food photos! I like how the photo came out, but I have a long way to go. Speaking of a long way to go, Geaux Saints! Lets hope they get lots of yards and plenty of touchdowns to make laissez les bon temps rouler!

Chicken Jambalaya (courtesy of Courant.com)

Ingredients

4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and diced

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 green onions, white and green parts, diced

4 large chicken thighs (skinless or skin on)

1/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon medium-hot to hot chili powder

2 bay leaves

3/4 cup long-grain rice

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Brown bacon pieces in large skillet. When crisp, add sweet red pepper, garlic and green onions and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken thighs and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Spoon out excess fat.

Add thyme, marjoram, salt, chili powder and bay leaves. Mix gently. Add rice and chicken broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender, liquid absorbed and chicken is done, about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

(Note: double if cooking for a crowd and cut up chicken in bite size pieces)