Stuff It

Like so many of my other recipes, I was initially drawn to this zesty one-pot meal because I already had almost everything I needed to make it. A run to the store for some chicken, kielbasa and a bell pepper, and I was good to go. The dish is also full of opportunities for substitution—throw in some zucchini if you need to use it up, swap chicken for shrimp (just don’t cook it as long) or trade the scallions for parsley (I used both because my parsley looked like its days were numbered).

Cooks Notes: I’ve found, after repeated makings, that the gravy usually needs to go a little longer than recommended to achieve the desired consistency, so don’t worry if you find yourself letting it simmer a few minutes more. Oh, and start slow when adding the hot sauce—you can always shake more over the finished dish but I’ve yet to find a way to subtract it once it’s in there.

Jambalaya Stuffing No-Bake Casserole
Serves 4.

1 baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp. herbs de Provence
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
14 oz. turkey kielbasa cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, chopped
½ c. white mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
¼ c. hot sauce
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Scatter the bread on a baking sheet and season with the herbs de Provence. Toast until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.

In your largest nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and cook 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In another, smaller skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, celery and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the reserved bread cubes and vegetables to the chicken mixture and combine. Stir in 1 cup of the broth and turn the heat to low.

In the (now empty) vegetable skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of broth and the hot sauce, season with salt, pepper and thyme and cook until the gravy is thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. To serve, pile the stuffing into shallow bowls and top with the gravy and scallions.