Creole Fried Rice

     Forgive me.  Once again we got half-way through dinner and I said, "Oh no!  I didn't take a picture of the finished product!"  So, you get a picture of the half-empty pan of creole fried rice.  This dish seems sort of like a combination of jambalaya and gumbo...without as much sauce or roux.   It was really great and was a nice twist from our usual weeknight dinners.

You'll need: 
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb skinned and boned chicken thighs (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts.)
1 1/2 tsp creole seasoning, divided
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 lb. andouille or smoked sausage, sliced. (I used smoked turkey sausage.)
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup frozen sliced okra, thawed
3 plum (roma) tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions sliced (green part only) (I didn't use these.)

So, cook the rice according to the directions on the package.  When it's done, spread it out on a baking sheet (I put aluminum foil on mine first) and then stick it in the fridge so it can cool off.

Next chop up your chicken into bite sized pieces and sprinkle with 1 tsp creole seasoning.  (Sorry the picture is sideways.)  Cook the chicken in a large skillet in hot oil for about 3 minutes.  Add in your sliced sausage and cook 3-4 more minutes until everything starts to get nicely browned.  Add in the onions, peppers and garlic.  Cook until the onions are soft, about 5 more minutes.  Stir in the okra and last 1/2 tsp creole seasoning.  Increase heat to high and add the cooled rice, stirring constantly for 4 minutes or until everything is heated through.

Add in the tomatoes and green onion at this point and serve immediately.  We added tabasco to our's as well :)