1-Pan Pastalaya Recipe

The food world lends itself to portmanteau words. To name just a few, there's brunch (breakfast + lunch), cronut (croissant + donut), and of course, Taco Bell's very own quesarito (quesadilla + burrito). We now present yet another one to add to your collection: pastalaya, which is not just a mashup word but a recipe that combines pasta with jambalaya.

Developer Kate Shungu says her pastalaya recipe is perfect for jambalaya fans looking for something just a little different. As she tells us, "My family loves jambalaya, and this is a fun way to switch things up,  especially for pasta lovers. The Cajun-spiced tomato sauce seeps into the pasta as it cooks, making it extra flavorful. This is a one-pan meal that'll end up on the dinner rotation at our house." Plus, the dish gets plenty of flavor and heartiness from the addition of Andouille sausage and chicken. Of course, the Cajun (and Creole) "holy trinity" of bell peppers, celery, and onions also come into play to give this pasta dish some real New Orleans flavor.

The main ingredients in this dish include penne pasta, chicken thighs, Andouille sausage, yellow onion, celery, green pepper, canned crushed tomatoes, and chicken stock. Other ingredients include olive oil, dried thyme, parsley, and Cajun seasoning (although Creole will work, as well).

Cajun seasoning may contain spices such as red and black pepper, garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, and paprika. It's often used interchangeably with the similar Creole seasoning, although the latter is less spicy (no cayenne) and may also have bay leaves, basil, and celery powder. Whichever blend you choose, you'll need to look for one with salt in the mix. If you do need to make do with a salt-free seasoning mix, add an extra teaspoon or teaspoon and a half of salt to the dish.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the chicken thighs, and cook until light brown on the bottom, about 3–4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for an additional 1 minute.

Transfer the chicken to a medium-sized bowl.

Add the Andouille sausage and cook until crisp on the bottom, about 2–3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until crisp on the other side, about 2 additional minutes.

Transfer the Andouille to the bowl with the chicken.

Without wiping out the pan, add the onion, green pepper, and celery.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, chicken stock, pasta, chicken, and Andouille to the pan.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover with a lid.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 18–20 minutes.

Serve with chopped parsley on top.

This simple one-pot recipe can be customized in any number of different ways. For starters, there's no reason you need to stick with crushed tomatoes. You could use diced ones, or spice things up with Ro-tel. You could also cut up whole canned tomatoes or even use marinara sauce. The pasta, too, can be changed as you see fit. Any short, chunky kind of noodle will work in much the same way as penne, while you could go for a kind of assassin's pasta effect with spaghetti.

As for the mix-ins, it's okay to use a different kind of bell pepper or swap it out for something hotter like an Anaheim or poblano pepper. The protein, too, can be substituted or supplemented. Instead of Andouille sausage, you could opt for sweet or hot Italian sausage. You could also add shrimp, or use it to replace the chicken. If you do go for shrimp, though, you won't need to pre-cook it but can add it just three minutes before the pasta is done.

You can prepare this whole dish ahead of time and then let it sit in the fridge. The flavors will deepen if left to sit for a while, so it may taste even better the next day. Kate Shungu tells us, "This is a great dish to make it advance — it reheats really well on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also transfer to a crockpot on the warm setting for a party to keep it warm for a few hours (give it a stir every once in a while to prevent the pasta from sticking)." You can also freeze the leftovers in individual portions for as long as you need.

With its comforting crowd-pleasing flavor and satisfying mix of pasta, 2 kinds of meat, and plenty of vegetables, it also makes a great meal to share with others. Shungu tells us, "I like taking this to friends who are taking care of new babies or aging parents — it makes a big batch so they can reheat it when it's convenient."