Wild Rice Jambalaya

Ingredients
· 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
· 4 chicken leg quarters
· Garlic salt (to taste)
· Black pepper (to taste)
· 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
· 2 stalks celery, chopped
· 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
· 2 tsp. minced garlic
· 1 – 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
· 2 cups chicken stock
· 1 cup water
· 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
· 3 bay leaves
· Cajun seasoning (to taste)
· 1 tbsp. hot sauce
· 1 cup wild rice
Instructions
· Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
· Season both sides of each leg quarter with garlic salt and black pepper to taste.
· In a Dutch oven or large non-stick pot, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil on medium high heat. Pan-sear leg quarters for 5 minutes on each side beginning with the skin side down. Remove and place on a baking sheet. Roast in oven for 20 minutes. Set aside.
· In the same Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add bell pepper, celery, and onions. Cook until tender, 1 – 2 minutes. Mix in garlic and sauté for one additional minute.
· Mix in remaining ingredients excluding wild rice and bring to a boil.
· Once at a boil, add wild rice and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer for 30 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
· Add leg quarters to rice mixture. Cook until rice is tender, 15 – 30 minutes. Serve.
Notes
· Boil an additional cup of water in a separate pot and keep warm. Should your jambalaya need more liquid, add boiling hot water as needed.
· Add Andouille Sausage to this recipe if you’re a fan of pork and spice. It also adds an authentic Cajun flavor.
· When flavoring jambalaya, I prefer part garlic salt and part Cajun seasoning rather than all Cajun seasoning.