Jambalaya Recipe
Made with a hearty blend of juicy chicken, spicy andouille sausage, and cooked rice, this easy one-pot Jambalaya Recipe packs bold, rich, and comforting Cajun flavors into every delicious bite! Customizable and surprisingly easy to make, this is hands-down the best jambalaya recipe you’ll ever make.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 564kcal
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil - divided
- 1 pound Andouille sausage - (or any smoked sausage)
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs - chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoon Cajun seasoning - divided and adjusted to suit your own personal taste/heat preference
- 2 medium yellow onions - diced
- 1 green bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 3 stalks celery - diced
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne - optional, omit if you're sensitive to spicy food
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional, omit if you're sensitive to spicy food
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced/crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice - rinsed and drained thoroughly
- 2¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup okra - thinly sliced (or 1 tsp file powder), optional
- 1 pound raw shrimp - thawed, peeled, and deveined
- fresh chopped parsley - to garnish
- chopped green onion - to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook for approximately 1 minute per side. Remove to a clean plate and set aside. Note: If you are using raw sausage (i.e., non-smoked sausage), cook the sausage whole first. Once it’s cooked, remove it from the pan, let it rest, and then slice it before adding it to the pot.
- Add the chicken to a large bowl and season with salt, pepper, and about 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Set the same pot used to sear the sausage over medium-high heat. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and add the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until it registers 165°F (75°C) with a digital meat thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
- Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and set it over medium-low heat. Add the finely chopped onions, bell pepper, and celery, mixing well to combine. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
- Add the minced garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (optional), Italian season, and red pepper flakes (optional). Mix well to combine and continue to cook for an additional minute.
- Mix in the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, white rice, and low-sodium chicken broth with the softened veggies. Mix well to combine. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook for approximately 25-35 minutes or until the rice is nearly cooked, gently stirring every 7-8 minutes to prevent the rice from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot. To cook the rice in the oven, transfer the covered pot to the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25-35 minutes or until the rice is nearly cooked.
- As the rice cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side.Note: Cooking the shrimp in a separate skillet is optional. You can add the uncooked shrimp with the okra, chicken, and sausage (see next step). The hot rice will cook the raw shrimp.
- When the rice is nearly finished cooking, stir in the shrimp and the sliced okra, and return the chicken and sausage back to the pot. Gently mix to combine with the rice. Continue to cook on low, stirring as needed, until the shrimp is cooked, approximately 5-8 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Serve warm garnished with chopped parsley and green onion if desired. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
Notes
Is this recipe spicy? Yes. Please, if you have any reservations about your heat tolerance, omit the cayenne powder and red chili flakes. You can always add more heat after cooking.
Is this recipe authentic? Not exactly. It combines Creole and Cajun flavors and methods. It includes tomatoes and shrimp (Creole) but browns the meat (Cajun). It also contains okra, which is not authentic to jambalaya. This recipe also contains more meat and vegetables than traditional rice-heavy jambalaya recipes (which were intended to stretch a small amount of protein and veggies as far as possible).
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Meat & Seafood: Depending on the type (Creole/Cajun) of jambalaya, it may contain a mix of andouille sausage (smoked sausage), poultry, wild game, and seafood, such as shrimp or crawfish. On a scale of most to least important, Andouille sausage is at the top, with seafood at the bottom.
- Rice: The best types of rice for jambalaya are long-grain white rice, like Jasmine and Basmati, or American long-grain rice (Mahatma Extra Long Enriched Rice). You can also use parboiled rice, such as Zatarain’s Parboiled Long Grain Rice. It’s more resistant to overcooking but doesn’t absorb flavors as well. Rice that should not be used include any short-grain rice (e.g., sushi or arborio rice), brown rice, and Instant rice.
- Seasoning and Spices: Many store-bought Cajun seasoning mixes can be pretty spicy and salty, so add additional heat and salt with caution. If you are especially sensitive to spicy food, you may want to make your own homemade Cajun seasoning, adjusting the heat to taste. My go-to store-bought Cajun seasoning is Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning. Yes, Creole seasoning can be used as a substitute for Cajun seasoning.
- Okra: Okra is optional and not traditional to jambalaya. I’ve included it because I like it; feel free to omit it for a more authentic recipe. If using frozen okra, thaw it completely before adding it.
- Use the right type of rice (see above).
- Rinse the rice before cooking.
- Use the correct 1:2 rice-to-liquid ratio. However, if you are including tomatoes (as I suggest for this recipe), reduce the liquid slightly to account for the liquid in the tomatoes.
- Avoid over-stirring, and keep the lid on while cooking.
- Let it rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes after cooking.
- Thaw the shrimp (and okra if using frozen) before adding it to the cooked rice.
- If you are at a high altitude, you may need to add a bit more liquid and cook for a longer time.
- If it is very humid, the rice may absorb more moisture. Reduce the liquid slightly.
- If your rice is undercooked, add a bit more warm broth, cover, and cook for 5-10 more minutes.
- Let the leftovers cool for about an hour before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Note: Freezing may cause the rice to soften and become mushy and the shrimp to become chewy.
- To freeze, cool completely, divide it into single-serving portions, and transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers. Remove excess air (if possible) to prevent freezer burn, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 1398mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1595IU | Vitamin C: 10.3mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 3.9mg
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