Spicy Dirty Rice with Chicken and Sausage

Spicy Dirty Rice with Chicken and Sausage 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 ½ teaspoons paprika ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon dried minced onion ½ teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon lemon juice 6 teaspoons olive oil, divided 4 (6 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (24 oz total) 1 (13 oz) link turkey smoked sausage, sliced (I used Hillshire Farm) 1 medium onion, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced A pinch of salt and pepper 1 cup dry long-grain white rice 2 ¼ cups reduced sodium, fat free chicken broth Optional: parsley for garnish In a small dish, mix together the salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, minced onion, oregano, ¼ teaspoon of the cayenne, the crushed red pepper, the lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil to form a paste. Rub the paste over the surface of the chicken breasts on all sides. Set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a dutch oven, bring 1 ½ teaspoons of oil over med-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced sausage and cook, stirring/flipping occasionally, until browned (about 5 minutes). Remove the sausage to a side plate. Add another 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil to the pot and allow them to come to temperature (should happen quickly). Add the chicken breasts in a single layer and sear on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip the breasts and sear on the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot to the plate with the sausage. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pot and allow it to heat up. Add the onions, celery and jalapeno and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly to scrape up any brown bits of flavor stuck to the bottom of the pot and coat your veggies with flavor. Your veggies should start to look brown from mixing with the flavors on the bottom. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and rice and stir to combine. Add the broth and continue to “deglaze the pan” by scraping up any brown bits off the bottom. Increase the heat to medium and bring the contents to a simmer. Once simmering, add the sausage, chicken, and any juices on the plate back to the pot, placing the chicken in a single layer on top of the other ingredients. Return to a simmer and cover. Place the covered pot in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed into the rice. Slice the chicken before serving.