Tasty Tuesday: One Pot Turkey Kielbasa Dirty Rice

On a weeknight, there's really nothing better than a quick, simple meal.  This is especially true after a busy day at work and/or on an evening when Eric and I go to the gym.  We usually get home kind of late on those nights, and the last thing we feel like doing after a particularly tough workout is making some elaborate, time-consuming dinner.

That's where today's recipe comes in.  Not only is it quick and simple, it's also flavorful, somewhat healthy, and, best of all, it's a one pot meal.  Every time I scour Pinterest for some new ideas, I'm always sucked in by all of the "one pot wonders."  Sometimes they're complete duds, but sometimes they actually turn out really well.

I'm happy to say that this is one of those "one pot wonders" that actually turned out really well.

This is such a simple meal, but it's packed with tons of flavor (and protein!).

One Pot Turkey Kielbasa Dirty Rice

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Oven Love.


Ingredient List:

• 14 oz. smoked turkey kielbasa, sliced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 3/4 cups water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (this amount will make the dish pretty spicy, so use less if you want less of a kick)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme

Instructions:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the diced onion and green bell pepper and cook until tender (approximately 5 minutes).

2.  Add the sliced sausage to the skillet and cook with the onion and pepper for 5-7 minutes, or until the sausage starts to brown.

3.  Add the red kidney beans and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring a couple of times to mix everything together.

4.  Pour in the uncooked rice, chicken broth, and water.  Stir to combine, making sure that everything in the skillet is covered by the liquid.

5.  Add the garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme.  Again, stir a couple of times to ensure everything is mixed together.

6.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium low.

7.  Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid has evaporated.

I know this isn't a "true" dirty rice (I looked it up out of curiosity, and, in addition to many of the ingredients listed here, dirty rice typically includes celery, pork sausage, and chopped chicken livers), but I thought it was the best name for this dish since it contains a lot of the flavors of a typical Cajun dirty rice (minus the aforementioned ingredients, of course).

No matter what you decide to call it, this is a delicious, flavorful meal that requires minimal work and minimal cleanup.  It's definitely being added into our regular weeknight meal rotation!