This is a family favorite that we make over and over again. It is a simple one pot meal and we like to make extra and freeze dry it in our Harvest Right freeze dryer for busy days, camping trips or emergencies. The spice is fairly mild but if you can't handle spice at all cut the Creole seasoning down by half. You can also omit the jalapeño and still have it turn out great.
I like to keep frozen or freeze dried peppers, celery, and onion on hand for this meal as well as have chicken and sausage in the freezer. It is one of the 10 recipes that our food storage is based off of, which we are fine with not being 100% shelf stable. To make it completely shelf stable for long term storage you could use canned chicken, omit or substitute for the sausage (Spam anyone?), and used dehydrated or freeze dried peppers, onions, and celery.
If you cook the meat until it is nice and browned first and then pull it out before you cook the rice and add it back in at the end it has a better flavor. However, if you are in a hurry and want to skip that step and leave the meat in it will still turn out delicious. I have also found that I some times have to add extra water (depending on the pot, type of rice, or age of rice) so if the water cooks off before your rice is completely soft just add in 1/2 cup and continue cooking. I like to serve it with a side of steamed spinach flavored with butter, lemon juice, and salt and pepper but it also works as a one-pot meal with no extra sides or fuss needed.
