Cook the Sausage — Slice the sausage into ¼–½ inch rounds. Heat a little cooking oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the sausage. Cook until the slices get nicely browned. (If you see brown bits forming on the bottom of the pan, that’s good! They’ll add great flavor to the rice later.)

Add the Bell Pepper — While the sausage cooks, dice your bell pepper. Once the sausage is browned, add the bell pepper to the pan and cook for about one minute to soften it slightly.

Toast the Spices — Add your spices (smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper). Stir everything around for about one minute. Toasting the spices helps bring out their flavor.

Add Tomatoes, Rice & Broth — Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, the rice, and the chicken broth. Stir well, making sure to scrape up those browned bits from the bottom of the pan—that’s where all the good flavor hides.

Simmer the Rice — Put a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high until the broth comes to a full boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Don’t lift the lid during this time—it needs the steam! After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let the skillet sit, still covered, for another 5 minutes to finish steaming.

Fluff & Serve — Remove the lid and gently fold everything together so the sausage and rice are evenly mixed. Top with sliced green onions and serve warm.