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This Jambalaya is a quintessential one-pot meal that hails from vibrant Louisiana, specifically the Cajun and Creole cuisines. Jambalaya is pure comfort food—a symphony of flavors that are both savory and slightly spicy. With chicken, sausage, shrimp, and rice, it’s the ultimate flavor bomb. The aromatic trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking—onion, celery, and bell peppers (capsicums)—sautéed in andouille drippings with garlic, herbs, and Cajun spices makes it as visually appealing as it is delicious!
Adding chicken and shrimp to this pot of tomato rice gives the dish its authentic flavors, reminiscent of adding mussels and calamari to a seafood Paella. This Jambalaya is unbelievably easy to whip up—all from the comfort of your own home.
What Sets This Jambalaya Apart?
Louisiana’s favorite one-pot dish, the Jambalaya, varies from kitchen to kitchen, with each cook’s unique spin. All Jambalaya versions agree on key ingredients: chicken or pork, sausage (andouille, chorizo, or smoked sausage), and seafood (crawfish or shrimp). What sets our Jambalaya apart is its balance of Creole and Cajun techniques—I add tomatoes for that classic Creole touch while incorporating Cajun flavors.
I sauté the sausage first to release its drippings, creating a flavor-packed ‘soffritto’. This step, combined with the aromatic trinity of onion, celery, and bell peppers, makes our Jambalaya recipe both visually appealing and incredibly tasty. For perfect pairings, check out my Browned Butter Honey Lime Shrimp or Tomato Garlic Butter Shrimp.
Perfecting Your Jambalaya: Key Ingredients
The secret to this Jambalaya is in its key ingredients. Each one brings something special to create a symphony of bold flavors and tender textures. From the smoky andouille sausage and fresh shrimp to the aromatic trinity of onion, bell peppers, and celery—let’s dive into what makes this Jambalaya truly exceptional:
- Andouille Sausage: This spicy, smoked sausage adds a robust, smoky flavor that is a hallmark of Cajun cuisine, just like it does in this Red Beans and Rice. Opt for high-quality andouille for the best flavor, and slice it into rounds for even cooking. Its distinct taste and texture elevate the Jambalaya, providing depth and a hint of spice.
- Cajun Seasoning: A blend of spices that includes paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and herbs. Make sure to choose a good-quality Cajun seasoning or create your own mix. This seasoning is essential for achieving the authentic flavor profile of Jambalaya, adding both heat and complexity.
- The Trinity (Onion, Bell Peppers, and Celery): These three ingredients form the aromatic base of many Creole and Cajun dishes and the starting point of the Jambalaya. Fresh, vibrant veggies are key—sauté them together to provide a flavorful foundation that enhances the overall taste of this Jambalaya recipe.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Adding tomatoes gives this Jambalaya a rich, tangy flavor and a beautiful red color. Use good-quality canned crushed tomatoes to ensure a consistent texture and taste. This ingredient is what differentiates Creole Jambalaya from its Cajun counterpart.
- Shrimp: Fresh shrimp adds a delightful seafood element to the Jambalaya, balancing the flavors of the chicken and sausage. Look for fresh, deveined shrimp to save time, and add them towards the end of cooking to keep them tender and juicy.
*Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions And Substitutions
When it comes to Jambalaya, adaptability is key. Don’t fret if you’re missing an ingredient or two—there are plenty of tasty alternatives that will still deliver those bold, comforting flavors that make this dish a favorite:
- Andouille Sausage Substitute: If you can’t find andouille sausage, Spanish chorizo is a great alternative. It shares a similar flavor profile with its spiciness and smokiness, ensuring your Jambalaya remains flavorful.
- Protein Choices: Feel free to swap chicken for pork or even use a mix of both. You can also add crawfish if you want to stick closer to traditional Louisiana ingredients.
- Heat Levels: Adjust the spice level to your preference by varying the amount of Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, or hot pepper sauce. You can always start with less and add more if needed.
The Ultimate Jambalaya: Step-By-Step
Ready to create a mouthwatering Jambalaya? Follow these simple steps with images to guide you through the process. You’ll achieve a flavorful, comforting Jambalaya with tender chicken, smoky sausage, fresh shrimp, and the vibrant flavors of Cajun spices and the aromatic trinity:
- Heat Oil and Season: Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season sausage and chicken with half of the Cajun seasoning.
- Brown Sausage: Brown sausage in the hot oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Sauté Chicken: Add remaining oil to the pot and sauté chicken until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery until the onion is soft and transparent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir in tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining Cajun seasoning. Stir in okra slices, chicken, and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Rice and Broth: Add rice and chicken broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Add Shrimp: Place shrimp on top of the Jambalaya mixture, stir gently, and cover with a lid. Simmer until shrimp are cooked through and pink, about 5-6 minutes, depending on size.
- Season and Serve: Season with extra salt and pepper if needed, and remove from heat. Adjust heat with extra hot sauce, Cayenne pepper, or Cajun seasoning. Serve immediately with sliced green onions and parsley.
Congratulations on making the ultimate Jambalaya recipe! If you enjoyed this recipe, we have plenty more Cajun and Louisiana-inspired dishes to tantalize your taste buds. Why not try our Easy Cajun Butter Chicken Breasts? It’s packed with bold Cajun flavors, creamy sauce, and tender chicken, just like the Jambalaya.
Looking for a one-pan wonder? Check out our Oven Baked Chicken and Rice with succulent chicken, perfectly seasoned rice, and vibrant veggies. And for parties or gatherings, don’t miss our Shrimp Cakes– they’re a hit at any event.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can use brown rice instead of white rice. However, keep in mind that brown rice has a longer cooking time, so you may need to adjust the cooking time and add more liquid as needed.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed to keep it moist.
If you don’t have okra, you can use file powder as a thickening agent and for added flavor. Alternatively, you can omit it altogether without drastically altering the dish.
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Jambalaya Recipe (Creole)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil divided
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning adjust to suit your tastes/heat preference
- 10 ounces andouille sausage sliced into rounds
- 1 pound skinless chicken breasts or thighs, boneless, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne powder
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup okra thinly sliced, or 1 teaspoon file powder
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice short grain or long grain
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound raw shrimp tails on or off, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon green onions sliced to garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley chopped to garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the sausage and chicken pieces with half of the Cajun seasoning.
- Brown sausage in the hot oil; remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add remaining oil to the pot and sauté chicken until lightly browned. Remove with slotted spoon; set aside.
- Sauté the onion, bell pepper and celery until onion is soft and transparent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Stir in the tomatoes; season with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes (or Cayenne powder), hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining Cajun seasoning. Stir in the okra slices (or file powder), chicken and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Add in the rice and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium. Cover and let simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked, while stirring occasionally.
- Place the shrimp on top of the Jambalaya mixture, stir through gently and cover with lid. Allow to simmer while stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink (about 5-6 minutes, depending on the size/thickness of the shrimp being used).
- Season with a little extra salt and pepper if needed and remove from heat. Adjust heat with extra hot sauce, Cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning. Serve immediately with sliced green onions and parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I make this alot and it is always a hit, however I am wondering if I can add scallops in as I have some to use up in the freezer?
Terrific recipe and very flavorful. My husband and kids absolutely loved this dish. Thank you so much
This recipe was delicious! A few notes though:
Many folks in the reviews says it’s too spicy if made according to the recipe… if you like spicy food, it definitely isn’t! If your sensitive to heat, start slow and add seasoning at the end.
Frozen okra works just fine and you can add it at the same time it says to add raw okra.
The ratio of rice to other ingredients is just a liiittle heavy in my opinion. If I made it again, I would do a cup of rice and 2 cups broth instead.
I don’t know how anyone could finish this recipe in 45 minutes! I started at 4 and it wasn’t ready until 5:45.
Absolutely AWESOME! I had to make a last minute trip to New Orleans last week for a family emergency. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to check out the local cuisine. Made this instead and I was NOT disappointed! Thank you!
One other question. I live alone and this recipe made a HUGE pot full! Can it be frozen to save some for later?
Wow! This recipe is amazing! So for some context I found this recipe and my husband prepared it- he followed the recipe and directions as they were written. We have never made jambalaya and I was extremely suspicious that things would not all be cooked properly. WOW WAS I WRONG! The chicken was cooked so perfectly and the shrimp was perfect too nothing was over done or underdone. The vegetables had firmness while still being soft. And the rice was perfect too! Mind blown – absolutely awesome recipe! Thank you thank you! This one is a keeper😁
This was a really good recipe, everybody liked it. My wife, who thinks everything is too spicy, thought it was too spicy but enjoyed it anyway.
It took longer than she says to prepare – probably closer to an hour and a half total – but I do a lot of Spanish, French, and Italian cooking so I probably spent more time in the early stages of the cooking process to develop the flavors.
I used chicken thighs, and I think their higher fat helped everything vs. chicken breast so I’d suggest it. I mixed my own cajun spice seasoning using a recipe on “Gimme Some Oven”, as I hate using random premixed spice mixes, which tend to have a lot of fillers, msg, etc.
My only minor process change is that the recipe says to add the rice and the broth at the same time, after all the other ingredients, but that seems like a wasted opportunity to develop more flavor. Taking a cue from Spanish paella recipes and French and Italian rice recipes, I added the rice right after the tomatoes and let it cook for several minutes in the (quite dry) other ingredients and start to change color before adding the broth. This does add a few minutes cooking time and you have to pay attention not to burn the rice, but it develops more flavor.
Anyway, it was a definite success, we’ll use this recipe again.
Was looking for a new jambalaya recipe (mine was just too boring) found many recipes online, but this one just seemed to make me hungry after reading the ingredients. I used wild turkey instead of chicken and it turned out fantastic. The best I have made and one of the best I have eaten. This one is saved in my document file now.
Delicious recipe. Easy to make. My husband is already ready for me to make it again. Adjust seasnojg to your preference. As recommended. I cut the Slap yo Mama in half.
Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!
WOW! My husband requested something different than we normally do for dinner and wanted jambalaya. I have never had it before and he used to order it a long time ago on our date nights. I found this recipe and I’m so glad I did. It’s by far the best thing I’ve ever made. This will be in our monthly rotation from now on. Absolutely DELICIOUS!
I couldn’t find okra or file seasoning so I omitted that but followed everything else to a T.
I added some extra crystal Louisiana hot sauce to my bowl and made corn bread on the side.
Thank you! Okay, now time to go back for seconds.
This was actually SO good. I was hankering for some jambalaya but no one around me has good authentic jambalaya. This hit the spot! I didn’t put okra in it though, as I’m not a huge fan. It didn’t disappoint!!