Last updated on January 22nd, 2024
This healthy dirty rice recipe is inspired by the traditional Cajun dirty rice dish that originated in the Creole regions of southern Louisiana.
However, I lightened up the traditional version without sacrificing the joy your taste buds will experience while eating this Cajun classic!
Dirty Rice is typically served as a main dish but there’s no reason why you can’t make it as a side dish as well.
Dirty Rice Recipe: WW Friendly
The WW (Weight Watchers) SmartPoints plan gives you 3 plan options: Green, Blue, & Purple.
Based on whichever plan you are following, you will have a different zero point food list.
So you’ll need to adjust the points for this healthy dirty rice recipe according to your color plan.
Here are this recipe’s points per serving for each color plan:
- Green Plan = 6 points per serving
- Blue Plan = 2 points per serving
- Purple Plan = 0 points per serving
A Lightened Up Cajun Rice Dish
If you know me, you know that I’m a rice fanatic!
I could eat rice all day every day.
So add shrimp, another food that I could eat all day every day, to my rice?
Well, let’s just say that’s heaven on a dish for me!
BUT, the carbs in rice can quickly add up.
Hence, my reason for lightening up this dish so I can still enjoy the foods I love!
Although this recipe is technically considered “rice dressing” since a true “dirty rice” includes organ meats, any finely ground meat gives this dish it’s “dirty” designation.
Simple Ingredients For This Easy Dirty Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- Brown Rice
- Chicken Bouillon
- Bay Leaves (optional)
- Cayenne Pepper
- Paprika
- Thyme
- Olive Oil
- Onion (white, yellow, or red onion)
- Celery
- Green Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Ground Turkey
- Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Shrimp
- Scallions (Green Onions)
How To Make Healthy Dirty Rice
Step 1: Cook Brown Rice with Bouillon and Spices
Follow package instructions to cook your brown rice with the chicken bouillon cube, 1 bay leaf (optional), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp paprika, & 1/8 tsp thyme.
Step 2: Cook Onion, Celery, Green Pepper and Garlic
In the meantime, heat a large skillet, large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat with oil.
Then add your diced onions, diced green pepper, diced celery, (also called the holy trinity) and minced garlic.
Using a wooden spoon, sauté the ingredients until soft – about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add Ground Turkey, Salt, Pepper, and Remaining Spices
Now, add your ground turkey, salt, black pepper, and remaining paprika, thyme and cayenne pepper to the skillet.
Sauté until browned – about 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Add Shrimp, Cover, and Cook
Lastly, add your shrimp to the skillet and cover.
Allow to cook over medium-high heat for an additional 5 minutes.
Step 5: Combine Rice with Cajun Shrimp Mixture and Serve with Toppings
Finally, toss your cooked rice with the shrimp and turkey mixture.
Place servings in bowls and top with chopped scallions.
The end result is absolutely delectable!
Ca c’est bon!
After tasting it you will want to say ‘Laissez les bon temps rouler’, which is Cajun for Let the Good Times Roll!
Healthy Dirty Rice Recipe Can Be Spicy or Mild
You can choose whether to decrease the amount of cayenne pepper (or any other spices) or not add it at all.
My hubby likes a little spice, but I typically do not.
So, I didn’t add the cayenne pepper.
However, I got out our bottle of hot sauce so each of us could spice it up a little bit.
It’s a yummy addition to the dish!
Additions and Substitutions
Additional ingredients you can add to this dish are:
- Cajun Seasoning
- Chili Powder
- Creole Seasoning
- Red Pepper
- Black Beans, Kidney Beans, or Red Beans
- Fresh Parsley
In addition, here are some simple swaps you can make:
- Substitute chicken livers, chicken gizzards (for a true dirty rice), ground pork sausage, lean ground beef, for the ground turkey
- Swap out any kind of rice for the white rice: brown rice, long grain rice, or wild rice
- You can substitute chicken broth or beef broth for the chicken bouillon when cooking your rice
Beware: It Won’t Last Long
This dinner is so delicious it has become one of our favorite dishes!
My husband and I can not get enough of this one-pot meal.
Not to mention, he used to live in New Orleans and I’ve visited New Orleans twice for Mardi Gras and the Jazz Fest.
Needless to say, we absolutely love Cajun cooking!
As a matter of fact, my husband ate 2 huge bowls of it and then took the leftovers to work for lunch the next day.
Meal prep at it’s finest!
However, I was so bummed when I opened up the refrigerator the next day to heat some up for lunch and it was all gone!
But, I guess that’s a good sign!
It will definitely be on my list of recipes to make again and again!
Healthy Dirty Rice Recipe with Shrimp
Healthy Dirty Rice Recipe with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Brown Rice
- 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube, Knorr
- 2 Bay Leaves, divided
- ⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper, divided
- ⅛ tsp Paprika
- ⅛ tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, diced
- 2 Celery Stalks, diced
- 1 Green Pepper, diced
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- ½ lb 98% fat free ground turkey
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 1 lb Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 Scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Cook brown rice according to package directions in water along with a chicken bouillon, 1 bay leaf and 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 each of cayenne pepper, paprika and thyme.
- When the rice is almost done cooking, heat a large heavy saucepan on medium-low heat.
- Add the oil, onions, green pepper, celery, bay leaf, and garlic.
- Sauté on medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground turkey, salt, black pepper, remaining paprika, thyme and cayenne pepper.
- Sauté until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cover. Cook 5 more minutes.
- When the rice is done, toss with turkey and shrimp and combine well.
- Top with scallions and serve.
Notes
2 WW SmartPoints {Blue Plan}
6 WW SmartPoints {Green Plan}
For more WW friendly rice recipes, click on over to:
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken & Rice: Full of Flavor & No Guilt
Healthy Veggie Fried Rice: 3 WW SmartPoints
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Yum once again!!! Interesting, the mix of ground beef and shrimp. I will be trying this one for sure. I’m not a bay leaf fan nor do I like spicy food so thanks for tweaking it for me.
No problem Cheryl! Definitely try it. It was seriously good!