Believe me when I tell you that this is one of those dishes that warms straight to your soul. It is full of flavors that are so rich and comforting. It is one of my all time favorites and I know it will be yours too. This Cajun skillet needs to be on your menu for the week. Trust me on this one.
The base of this Cajun skillet and most Cajun/Creole recipes is celery, onion and bell pepper, otherwise known as the holy trinity. It is a sure way to start your dish out with great flavor. The next ingredient that I want to focus on is boudin sausage. It may be unfamiliar to you, but please please trust me that this is what makes the rice 'dirty' and freaking delicious. The liver in the sausage is what makes it so rich, but it does not taste like liver at all. You could also use andouille sausage, but while flavorful, will not be the same. I was able to find a gluten free version of the boudin in the Walmart meat section, there are so many great options these days.
As if I haven't sold you on this dish already, it is all cooked in one skillet. I know, I know Mic drop 🙂 but seriously, anytime I can have less dishes is a win in my book. The flavors get to meld together into one perfect, comforting dish. You can use Cajun seasoning for this recipe to be traditional, but I actually used my easy chicken spice rub and it was perfect.
Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 Tbls olive oil
- 1 cup Onion diced
- 2 stalks Celery Chopped
- 1 Red Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb Boudin Sausage
- 2 Tbls Tomato Paste
- 1 cup White Rice uncooked
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 lb Shrimp raw, deveined
- 2 Tbls Cajun Seasoning or Easy Chicken Spice Rub
- 2 Tbls Parsley chopped (for topping)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add in the onion, celery and bell peppers. Cook until tender and slightly caramelized (5-7 minutes)
- Next add in the sausage and garlic (I removed the casing, it's up to your preference) and let cook down for another 2-3 minutes
- Add in the tomato paste and 1 Tbls of the seasoning and stir it all together
- Then add in the rice and the broth, stir again and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover (I used a sheet pan to cover mine if you don't have a large enough lid) leave covered for 15 minutes
- After the 15 minutes, stir in the raw shrimp and cover again for another 10 minutes or until rice has absorbed the liquid and the shrimp are fully cooked
- Season with more of the cajun seasoning to taste (it depends on the brand you use) if you use one without salt, you will need to salt to taste as well
- Top with chopped parsley
As boudin contains cooked rice, it doesn't get overcooked and gummy while the raw rice cooks?
I did chicken instead of shrimp because that’s what I had. Cooked cubed chicken in a little olive oil as first step and then followed the rest of the recipe as it’s written. Topped with green onion instead of parsley. Would definitely make again. Side note this makes a ton of food. My family are not dainty eaters and we will definitely get more than 6 servings out of this
Really good! I made my own Cajun seasoning and used tubed mild sausage I had on hand. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed it. Will definitely make again!