Homemade Jambalaya – Easy one-pot recipe! (2024)

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Katerina

4.81 from 93 votes

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This one-pot jambalaya recipe is easy, delicious, and satisfying, thanks to the addition of chicken, shrimp, and spicy andouille sausage. You’re 30 minutes away from a Mardi Gras dinner that the whole family will love!

Homemade Jambalaya – Easy one-pot recipe! (2)

Jambalaya is my go-to winter stew! During the winter season, I make this jambalaya recipe about once a month. When the weather’s chilly, there’s nothing better than a hearty comfort food dinner with a little bit of heat to warm you up inside and out! My jambalaya is flavorful and filling, and it’s also the perfect casserole for feeding a crowd. It’s a versatile dish that can be adjusted to suit your personal flavor preferences, and it really is an excellent recipe for those who like to try new things.

What is Jambalaya?

Jambalayais a popular Creole and Cajun dish with African, Spanish, and French influences. Because it originated in Louisiana, it’s often associated with Mardi Gras, but there’s no reason you can’t eat it year-round. It is often prepared with chicken, shrimp or crawfish, andouille sausage, and rice, although many variations exist. The meat-and-rice combo is flavored with the Cajun holy trinity of onion, celery, and green pepper, along with herbs, spices, and diced tomatoes. In addition to being the ultimate comfort food, this recipe is also the ultimate one-pot dinner. You’ve got your veggies, your meat, and your starch all in one convenient pot. It’s a perfect weeknight dinner, friends!

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Jambalaya Ingredients

  • Yellow onion
  • Celery ribs
  • Bell peppers: Green is the classic choice for a jambalaya recipe, but you can use red, orange, or yellow if you prefer.
  • Garlic
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts: I like boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use a different cut of chicken.
    Sweet paprika: Sweet paprika is ideal, smoked paprika is delicious too, but avoid hot paprika unless you like your jambalaya spicier.
  • Oregano
  • Andouille sausage: This is a smoked sausage made with pork, onions, peppers, and other seasonings. Cut the sausage into 1/4-inch rounds.
  • Tomato paste: If you buy a can for this recipe, freeze the rest in 1-tablespoon portions, pop them in a freezer bag, and you won’t need to buy a new can next time you need tomato paste!
  • Low-sodium fat free chicken broth: Chicken stock can also be used, but because stock is unseasoned, you’ll need to add more salt to the recipe.
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Long grain rice
  • Cajun seasoning: Cajun seasoning can bring a lot of heat, so feel free to adjust to your liking.
  • Shrimp: Peel and devein the shrimp.

How to Make Jambalaya

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  1. Prepare. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat.
  2. Cook the trinity. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers to the Dutch oven and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes or until just softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the chicken. Stir in the chicken, sweet paprika, and oregano and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is nicely browned on all sides.
  4. Add the next several ingredients. Add the sausage and tomato paste; stir and cook for 1 minute, then add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, rice, and cajun seasoning. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Finish. Add the shrimp and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it’s pink and cooked through. Remove from heat, garnish with sliced green onions and dried parsley, then serve.
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Recipe Tips

  • Can’t find andouille sausage? You can use a different type of smoked sausage like kielbasa or chorizo.
  • Keep an eye on the rice. After 10 minutes, lift the lid of the Dutch oven and take a peek. If it looks dry, add more chicken broth.
  • Don’t overcook it. Jambalaya isn’t a saucy dish, but it isn’t a dry rice dish either, so don’t wait for all of the liquid to absorb. As soon as the rice is tender, you can move onto the next step of the recipe.
  • Adjust it to your liking. Cajun food is known for being spicy, but you can always make this jambalaya recipe on the milder side and then let everyone adjust the heat for their own individual servings by adding Tabasco or extra Cajun seasoning.
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Serving Suggestions

Jambalaya is a complete meal with protein, vegetables, and grains all in one pot. Serve it as-is, or top it with extra green onions, parsley, or hot sauce. If you’d like to add a side, serve jambalaya with coleslaw, tomato cucumber salad, and cornbread.

Storage

  • Leftover jambalaya can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
  • Reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat and gently stir until heated through – or just pop it in the microwave! Add water or broth if it’s too thick.
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More Cajun-Inspired Recipes

  • Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
  • Sheet Pan Andouille Sausage with Potatoes and Veggies
  • Slow-Cooker Cajun Jambalaya Recipe
  • Cajun Shrimp and Guacamole Tortilla Bites
  • Mom’s One-Skillet Sausage and Rice

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Jambalaya Recipe

Katerina | Diethood

Enjoy the vibrant flavors of this delicious one-pot jambalaya packed with juicy chicken, zesty shrimp, tender rice, and fiery andouille sausage.

4.81 from 93 votes

Rate this Recipe!

Servings : 6 Servings

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, diced (you can use red, green, yellow, orange, etc.)
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 6 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning, or to taste
  • 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
  • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium heat.

  • Add onions, celery, and bell peppers, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes or until just tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.

  • Stir in chicken and add sweet paprika and oregano. Cook for 5 minutes, or until chicken is browned on all sides. Stir in the sliced sausage and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute.

  • Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, rice, and cajun seasoning. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

  • Add the shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.

  • Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions and parsley.

  • Serve.

Notes

  • Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but this tastes great with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, too.
  • Andouille Sausage: If you can’t find andouille sausage or want to try something different, you can use polish kielbasa or chorizo.
  • Rice: Long grain rice is the best choice for jambalaya as it cooks up fluffy and separate, creating a better texture.
  • Broth: Use a rich chicken (or seafood) broth to cook your jambalaya. This will add depth and more flavor to the dish.
  • Seasonings: Adjust the ingredients and seasonings to suit your tastes.

Nutrition

Calories: 365 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35 g | Protein: 27 g | Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g | Trans Fat: 0.1 g | Cholesterol: 73 mg | Sodium: 498 mg | Potassium: 839 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 1749 IU | Vitamin C: 62 mg | Calcium: 65 mg | Iron: 2 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American/Southern

Keyword: cajun jambalaya, chicken jambalaya, homemade jambalaya

Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

Categories:

  • Chicken Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Holidays
  • One Pot Meals
  • Quick Dinner Ideas
  • Seafood
Homemade Jambalaya – Easy one-pot recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good jambalaya? ›

The richness of the stock, the slow build of Creole spices, and the way the meat is cooked — in this case, caramelizing the sausage, which coaxes out more flavor and adds that appealing browned finish — also contribute to the deep, complex layers of this dish.

What is the best rice to use for jambalaya? ›

One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

What is the water to rice ratio for jambalaya? ›

That's also the biggest reason not to be intimidated; if you can cook rice, you can cook jambalaya. Whether you just toss it in an electric cooker with a 2:1 water ratio, or gussy it up in on a stove top, jambalaya is just rice. Cooked with meat, sausage and seasonings.

Should jambalaya be wet or dry? ›

A cajun jambalaya, I'm reliably informed, should be somewhat dry, even slightly browned on the bottom, which rules out the soupier, wetter texture of those creole versions using tomatoes (Oliver advises cooks to aim for a “porridgey” consistency).

What makes jambalaya taste like jambalaya? ›

The one ingredient that seems to be fairly constant in all Jambalaya preparations though is some kind of sausage, and preferably a smoked one. Andouille, a spicy smoked sausage native to Louisiana, is the traditional choice.

Should jambalaya have tomatoes? ›

Two main categories of jambalaya exist: Creole (or red) jambalaya, which is associated with the city of New Orleans and contains tomato, and Cajun (or brown) jambalaya, which contains no tomato and is more common in other parts of Louisiana. The recipe I'm focusing on here is the former, with tomato.

What spices to add to rice? ›

Spices
  • Cumin.
  • Curry powder.
  • Paprika.
  • Red pepper flakes.
  • Garlic powder.
  • Onion powder.
  • Chili powder.
  • Cajun seasoning.

Do you add cooked or uncooked rice to jambalaya? ›

Sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño and garlic until soft. Add rice, liquids and seasonings. Add in the uncooked rice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, Cajun/Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf. Give everything a good stir.

Should rice be rinsed for jambalaya? ›

If you don't rinse it away, the starch creates a gluey film as the rice cooks. Rinse away the extra starch and the rice will be sticky enough to fluff up, but not too gummy. If you've been having trouble achieving the “just right” texture with your rice, try adding the rinsing step to your prep.

Is jambalaya supposed to be thick or runny? ›

Jambalaya, on the other hand, is a rice dish. Your average recipe contains about double the amount of liquid to rice, but the liquid cooks down. Jambalaya shouldn't turn out watery or mushy. Recipes with tomato sauce will turn out a little wetter, however, almost as wet as risotto, and that's totally normal.

How much water do I use for 4 cups of rice? ›

For tender grains of rice that easily separate, such as in a pilaf, use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You can also use another liquid like stock in this 2:1 ratio. For slightly chewier, fluffy white rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice, or a 1.5:1 ratio.

How do you thicken jambalaya? ›

I like roux in jambalaya because it thickens it and makes it less soupy. For the roux, use good quality vegetable oil that can stand up to high heat; butter or olive oil will burn before you get to the final result. Cook on medium-high to high heat, stirring constantly.

Can you overcook jambalaya? ›

Problem: Complicated to make, jambalaya is usually overcooked and underseasoned. The dish is an unappealing mixture of rubbery shrimp, dry chicken, and gummy rice bound in a thin, watery tomato base. Goal: We wanted fluffy rice with perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken, shrimp, and sausage.

What are the two types of jambalaya? ›

A hearty blend of rice, meats, vegetables, and lots of seasoning, jambalaya is a cold-weather comfort food that is sure to please everyone. There are two types of jambalaya: Cajun and Creole.

What is the holy trinity of jambalaya? ›

The Holy Trinity is the Cajun and Creole counterpart to this trio, consisting of onion, celery, and rather than carrot, green bell peppers. Just like mirepoix, the Holy Trinity is one of the first things to hit the pan, acting as an aromatic base for dishes like Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Crawfish Étouffée.

What is the difference between Cajun and Creole jambalaya recipe? ›

One of the primary differences in Cajun jambalaya as opposed to the Creole variant is the absence of tomatoes. Instead, it relies on a dark roux (which is a cooked mixture of flour and fat) to achieve a deep, smoky flavor. Country meats like andouille sausage, tasso ham, or game meats take center stage.

What gives jambalaya its color? ›

Cajun jambalaya usually has a brown colour due to the meat dissolving in the broth. It also has a smokier flavour because of the meat being allowed to brown first.

What is the main component of jambalaya? ›

Jambalaya (/ˌdʒæmbəˈlaɪə/ JAM-bə-LY-ə, /ˌdʒʌm-/ JUM-) is a savory rice dish of mixed origins that developed in the U.S. state of Louisiana apparently with African, Spanish, and French influences, consisting mainly of meat or seafood (or both), and vegetables mixed with rice and spices.

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