Jackson Jambalaya

Here is a dish we enjoy a lot at our house. It looks and tastes great, is very simple to make, cooks nicely, both as the low carbohydrate (Keto) version shown here, or by using real rice and flour-roux or cornstarch as a thickener when making the chicken gravy if you don’t do keto.

I understand many folks are turned off by any suggestion of low carbohydrate cooking and/or the diet known in the medical and nutrition communities as Ketogenic. My (nutrition degreed) wife and I have followed some version of this diet for years, (after my mitral valve replacement and triple bypass cardiac surgery about 20 years ago) with great weight reduction, weight maintenance and health marker (blood sugar levels, triglyceride, overall cholesterol level, and recommended LDL/HDL ratios, bla-bla-bla) results.

For the majority of JJ readers who are not keto diet folks, this recipe works great and looks about the same using regular rice and flour roux or cornstarch thickener in the chicken gravy.

This is a dish that is easy to make, looks good, and tastes great! Both you, and or the wife and kids, Mom, Dad, mother-in-law &/of FIL, next door neighbor, old classmate, pastor, rabbi, imam, masonic warden, high wiccan priestess, significant other, life partner, BFF, rich uncle in the process of considering who to retain as heirs in his will, or whoever, (whew!) will enjoy chowing down on this. I used parmesan green beans the night I cooked the version shown here, but you might want to go with your preferred side (Carrots, Broccoli, Slaw or Salad), especially if that uncle we discussed forty-four or forty-three words back up the post doesn't like green beans.

Chicken with Kale over Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

5 Chicken tenderloins, cut into bite sized pieces.
2-3 slices thick sliced bacon, cut into pieces and crispy fried.
1/2 Medium onion, sliced.
1 Stalk celery, diced.
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups chicken stock
1-2 cups fresh Kale
1 teaspoon Glucomannan thickener – for keto prep, or 1 Tablespoon corn starch thickener for non-keto prep

1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
1 pinch Sage
1 teaspoon Garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon Thyme

12 ounces seasoned cauliflower rice pearls, for keto prep, or 1/2 cup rice for non-keto prep

 

Directions:

Season chicken tenders with black pepper, thyme, garlic salt and sage, and set aside.

Cook bacon in a skillet or microwave until crispy. Remove cooked bacon and set aside. Reserve bacon fat.

Cook cauliflower or rice, following package directions (for microwave or stove top). When cooked, remove, season with salt, black pepper, and butter to taste. Set it aside to allow it to dry somewhat as it cools.

Slice, separate and cook onion slices in butter over medium low to medium heat in a suitable pan, until caramelized - dark brown.

Dice celery and add to caramelized onion slices and continue cooking until tender.

Cut chicken tenders into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces and add to onions and celery with a little bacon fat for flavor and to aid in cooking the chicken pieces. Continue cooking until the chicken has cooked.

Add chicken stock and cook at moderate heat until the volume reduces by half to two thirds. It should thicken as it reduces. I think I added mine in two separate additions. Taste and season with salt and other seasonings only if needed. When the liquid has been reduced, either sprinkle and mix in 1 Teaspoon of the Glocumannan powder or mix the corn starch in a little water and add it to the reduced broth to thicken it. 

Cut the kale to manageable sized pieces, add it to the pan, and cook for several minutes at low heat, until the kale is tender.

Cooking the green beans with parmesan cheese and bacon

Ingredients:

12 ounces Garlic Parmesan Green Beans, or 12 ounces whole green beans
4 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded.

Directions:

If using GG frozen green bean blend, as shown, cook to package directions, then add shredded parmesan cheese. Top with bacon pieces to serve.

 

Serving:

Serve the chicken, with the gravy, over the cauliflower, or rice, with some of the bacon sprinkled over the dish and the parmesan green beans with a little bacon sprinkled over the top.

Thanks for looking at my post.
God Bless You.