This recipe was given to me by a friend from Louisiana. It’s a Creole version of Jambalaya (the Cajun version doesn’t have tomatoes). The recipe below fills a large roasting pan and is perfect for pot-lucks and backyard barbecues since it’s gluten and dairy-free.

Prep takes a while, so give yourself at least 2 hours before serving. I cut up all my meats and peeled the shrimp. Next, dice, chop or mince all the vegetables, except the tomatoes.

I saute my chicken, then add the vegetables, minus the tomatoes.


While my vegetables are cooking, I go ahead and add my tomatoes and seasonings to the rice.

Once the vegetables were translucent, I added them and the chicken to my rice mixture, then started cooking my other meats.

After mixing all the ingredients together in my bowl, I placed it in a disposable roasting pan (I use a disposable pan when I’m taking this to an event…then I don’t need to remember to bring a pan back home) and pop it in the oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• cayenne pepper, to taste (I add a lot since I love spicy)
• 2 tbsp. hot sauce (I prefer Crystal brand)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 whole garlic bulb, peeled and minced
• 2 cans whole tomatoes, with juice
• 1 lb. ham, cubed
• 3 lbs. jumbo shrimp, shelled
• 1 tbsp. crushed bay leaves
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 6 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
• 2 pkg. smoked sausage, sliced
• 4 c. cooked rice (best if you only cook it so it still has a little water left).

Directions:

Saute the chicken in olive oil. Add vegetables minus the tomatoes and continue to saute. Add sausage, ham, and shrimp; saute until shrimp are pink. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well, then transfer to a roasting pan. Bake at 350° for one hour.