This simple Slow Cooker Jambalaya is loaded with chicken, sausage, shrimp, Cajun seasoning, and cooked rice. So easy!
Jambalaya is one of my favorite one-pot meals. The flavorful combo of smoked sausage, chicken, shrimp, spicy Cajun seasoning, and rice makes it the ultimate comfort food. And making it in the slow cooker couldn’t be easier! If dumping and forgetting is what you’re after, you will love this easy peasy slow cooker recipe.
Looking for a stove-top version? You’ll love my spicy, smoky, and deeply satisfying Jambalaya Recipe.
Table of Contents
Avoid Mushy Rice: Cook It Separately
Here’s the thing about the slow cooker, there’s no evaporation. I mean, that’s part of what makes it so useful. But when uncooked rice is added to a stewing combination of meats and veggies, it’s impossible to know exactly how much liquid you’re working with, and therefore how much rice can, or should, be added to the pot. Because of this, I always add pre-cooked rice to my slow cooker jambalaya recipe. It’s the best solution that affords me (and you!) complete control over the final texture of the dish.
How to Make Slow Cooker Jambalaya Step-By-Step Photos
My favorite part about all slow cooker recipes is how easy they are. I mean, that’s why we’re here, right?
Step 1: Add the following to the slow cooker: chicken thighs, smoked andouille sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, chopped tomatoes, and minced garlic.
Step 2: Next, sprinkle the seasonings and liquids on top. Add the following: Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper for a little heat (optional).
Step 3: Carefully/gently mix everything to combine, then top with the bay leaves. pour in ½ cup of low-sodium chicken broth.
Step 4: Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. The mixture should look rich and stew-like, with the tomatoes and aromatics well broken down.
Step 5: About 20–30 minutes before serving, remove the lid and stir in: 1 pound of thawed, peeled, and deveined shrimp plus 4 cups of cooked white rice. Cover again and cook on LOW until the shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
Step 6: Once the shrimp is cooked and the rice is fully incorporated, remove the bay leaves. Stir everything together one last time to ensure even distribution of ingredients.
Recipe Tips
- Making the Rice: Cook 1½ to 2 cups of long grain white rice in advance. This allows the rice time to cool and stop cooking before it’s added to the hot jambalaya mixture.
- Adding the Rice: About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, stir in 3 to 4 cups of the cooked rice and check the consistency. If the mixture is still too soupy, gradually add more rice until it thickens and looks like traditional jambalaya.
- Alternative: Of course, you don’t have to mix the rice in at all. You can serve the jambalaya gumbo-style—ladled over bowls of fluffy cooked rice. It’s not traditional, but that’s not really the goal of this recipe anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
While both gumbo and jambalaya are staples of Louisiana cuisine, gumbo is typically thickened with a roux, often includes okra or file powder, and is more of a stew served over rice rather than a rice-based dish.
It’s best to thaw your shrimp before them to the slow cooker for food safety and even cooking.
Yes, but be aware that the rice may cook unevenly or turn out soggy, which is why I prefer to cook it separately—or even use leftover rice. If you’d like to cook the rice directly in the slow cooker, stir in 1½ cups of uncooked parboiled rice about 1 hour before serving. You’ll also need to increase the total amount of chicken broth from ½ cup to 2 cups. Once the rice has been added, try to avoid stirring too much.
A Note on Authenticity
This is not a historically authentic recipe. My goal here at The Forked Spoon is to create and share recipes easily accessible to everyone, so that home cooks of all levels can enjoy and recreate these beloved flavors in their own kitchens. While I always aim to honor the original dish, sometimes I will adapt ingredients and cooking techniques to reflect the needs of my readers.
RECIPE CARD
Slow Cooker Jambalaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound Andouille sausage - cut into small chunks
- 1 large onion - diced
- 4 ribs celery - chopped
- 1 green bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 5 Roma tomatoes - diced
- 5 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper - optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 bay leaves
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound shrimp - thawed, peeled, and deveined
- 4-6 cups cooked rice - see notes
- fresh parsley and green onions - to garnish
Instructions
- Add the chicken, sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, crushed red pepper (if using), dried oregano, and garlic powder to the bowl of a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Stir well to combine, then place the bay leaves on top and pour in the chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Once done, remove the lid and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the cooked rice and raw shrimp. Let the jambalaya continue cooking for 15 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and fully cooked.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and green onions if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
- 2 cups rice (rinsed thoroughly and soaked in cold water for 20-30 minutes, time allowing)
- 4 teaspoon oil
- 2 ⅔ cups of boiled water
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Husband saw a Jambalaya dish on TV and asked me to make it. Said it looked delicious. He likes all the meat, shrimp, tomatoes, etc. He also likes a kick in his food.
I am going to make the slow cooker version and see how that comes out.
Thanks for all the recipes.