Grab your favorite 3-quart pot, start with medium heat, and drizzle a little olive oil or salted butter on the bottom. Salt and pepper the chicken tenders to taste and add to pot. Let cook for 2 minutes each side, reduce heat, and cover with lid.

While the chicken cooks, dice the veggies – onion, bell pepper, and garlic – and set aside. Rinse sausage, slice, and set aside.

Time to check the chicken! Remove chicken tenders from pot. (It’s okay if they’re not fully cooked; they will cook the rest of the way in a later step.)

Then, dump all of the veggies into the pot, add all seasonings – onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasoning – to taste, and sauté until translucent.

While the veggies cook, dice chicken into large chunks.

Strain stewed and diced tomatoes into a measuring cup, reserving the juice – it’s a great substitute for water and adds flavor to the dish. Add tomatoes, chicken, and sausage to the veggies. Stir and let simmer.

Now, measure out the tomato juice and chicken broth according to jambalaya box instructions (3¾ cups), add to pot, and give the pot another stir.

Bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, stir in the jambalaya mix. It’s important to stir to avoid ingredients settling at the bottom of the pot.

After a couple of stirs, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Et voilà! You’ve brought a taste of New Orleans to the table.