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!
Easy Homemade Jambalaya Recipe
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?
Jambalaya is 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. (And trust me, you will want to!) It is often prepared with chicken, shrimp or crawfish, andouille sausage, and rice, although there are all kinds of variations on the classic. The meat-and-rice combo is flavored with the Cajun holy trinity—onion, celery, and green pepper—along with herbs, spices, and diced tomatoes.
In addition to being the ultimate comfort food, this jambalaya recipe is also the ultimate one-pot dinner. You’ve got your veggies, your meat, and your starch all in one convenient pot. We’re talking a perfect weeknight dinner here, friends!
Ingredients For Jambalaya
- 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 because they’re so easy to work with, 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 want your jambalaya super spicy! - Oregano
- Andouille sausage: 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.
What Kind of Sausage is Andouille?
Andouille is a Cajun smoked sausage made with pork, onions, pepper, and other seasonings. It’s coarse-grained, and it can be quite spicy, depending on the variety you buy.
How to Make Jambalaya
It’s time to roll up your sleeves and make this hearty jambalaya recipe! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
- Prepare. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recipe Tips For Homemade Jambalaya
- 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.
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 this jambalaya recipe with a small salad to keep it light and healthy or with some cornbread and an acidic red wine like Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Jambalaya
- Leftover jambalaya can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the jambalaya in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth and gently stir until heated through—or just pop it in the microwave!
Can I Freeze Jambalaya?
- Yes, you can freeze jambalaya for up to 3 months. Store it in an airtight container or freezer bag; let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving, then reheat it over medium-low heat. If it’s dry, stir in a few tablespoons of broth or water.
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
ENJOY!
Jambalaya Recipe
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
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.
This was delicious!! Definitely seems to be more than 6 servings! Looking forward to leftovers! Will definitely make again.
I made this for my family for the first time and there was NONE left in the pot! It’s delicious 😋 . Definitely a staple in my house now.
Easy, Amazing, Flavorful! Great recipe!
So easy and it tastes delicious
Loved this recipe I made some adjustments due to food choices used red bell peppers because I like the flavors of them and didn’t have the tomatoes so used large can of crushed tomatoes 2 Serrano peppers one without the seeds added perfect amount of heat and alligator andouille sausage. Will Dey make again but maybe next time add little mor rice and use chopped or diced tomatoes instead of crushed
Halved the recipe and made this tonight for my wife so we could use up our groceries. I was worried since I didn’t have Cajun seasoning on hand, but I had all the components. Substituted chicken apple sausage for andouille because she doesn’t eat pork. Turned out amazing still!
That’s great! I’m very glad you and your wife enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Very good! Made tonight for super bowl. I didn’t have diced tomatoes so used Rotele and a few whole tomatoes with sauce. My picky husband liked it but said it needed more sausage. Noted for next time!
Thank u
Delicious….my husband and I both loved it. Used Rotel for tomatoes, but other than that kept the same as recipe stated.
Made this recipe it was fantastic used Slap your Mama as the Cajun seasoning and it turned out fantastic!!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I love jambalaya and yours it’s amazing. Thank you so much for sharing such a yummy recipe. Happy new year.
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made this tonight and it was delicious
I made this recipe last night. It was easy and delicious. Great comfort food, my husband and I really enjoyed this recipe. Definitely making this again.
That’s great! I’m very glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Easy to make, my family loved it!!
Devine!!! Soooo tasty
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Living in the heart of Cajun Country I can tell you first hand this simply is a make believe recipe and nothing we would even think of making here is southern Louisiana. First off, we don’t put oregano or paprika into Jambalaya. Second, the sausage is cooked first so you have the grease from it to cook your vegetables in and your make believe seasoning! ” Salt and pepper to taste”? “Your favorite Cajun Seasoning”? This is a lazy persons version of a recipe being offered! Salt, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Cayenne, Garlic and Thyme are the seasonings that go into Jambalaya. If your not going to follow thru with a recipe, stop trying to promote incomplete ones such as this.
I would like to comment on this if I may. I am certainly not from Louisiana however I do appreciate making this lighter side of the recipe for Jambalaya. I do have an aunt from Louisiana and her Jambalaya is absolutely delicious. After eating her recipe, I always feel bloated and extremely full. After eating this recipe, I do not feel that way in the least. I would imagine there are different takes on Jambalaya throughout the country and although if you are from Louisiana you may not approve, but the folks that are from a different part of the country absolutely do and appreciate the efforts that are put into making them and sharing them. Not everyone cooks the same and that is what’s so great about sharing recipes. It is not fare to judge or write a rude comment. This is a site that shares the lighter side of food, and it very much appreciated from those of us who are on the quest to loose weight and or stay healthy.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
You are absolutely correct! The one thing that I hate, is when [someone] change the texture, thought or recipe of something that has been around since inception! I’d rather to be correct, and give the correct information, then put my own ‘so called’ two-cents into a staple!
Thanks for the truth, for the truth will set us (all) free!
how many servings does this recipe make? i want to make this this weekend for a total of 6 people so i wanna make sure it’ll make enough. thanks!
I made this tonight for dinner. It was delicious. My family likes things a bit spicy so I added a Serrano chili. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. It was scrumptious!
I’m very glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
This is my go-to recipe. It’s bookmarked and I try to make it at least once a month if not more!
Excellent! 10/10 for this meal tonight. Thank you!
That’s wonderful! Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Super easy to make and so delicious. I added 1 jalapeno for additional spice and wow it was amazing. Definitely one I will make for the next family gathering!
That’s great to hear! I’m very happy you loved it! Thank YOU! 🙂
My andouille sausage is fresh from our local store’s deli. Is that the type you are supposed to use? Should I pre boil it first? Thank you!
Yummy!!! I added a little white wine for added flavor
That’s great! I’m very happy you loved it! Thank YOU! 🙂
If raw from the deli, did you end up pre-boiling? Or just straight in? Thanks!
I cooked this dish on tonight and added some okra to it. My soon to be husband loved it! Glad I found this recipe!
That’s great! I’m very glad you and your husband loved it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
There are no tomatoes in jambalaya. Trust me; I’m a native of the Jambalaya Capital of the World,
If you love this particular recipe, great. Just don’t call it jambalaya.
Can you share a proper jambalaya recipe?
I have always wanted to try it , ever since watching the princess and the frog LOL!!
😂😂😂
You know what they say…everyone has an opinion.
I’ve had plenty of jambalaya with tomatoes and plenty without. Anyone can put their own spin on it. 🤦🏻♀️
What if I don’t have celery or celery salt?
I guess you could make the jambalaya without it, but the celery does add to the overall taste and texture.
Made this tonight, and my hubby loved it! I used all colors of peppers and also added 1/2 tsp of chipotle pepper, and 1 tbsp of smoked paprika, to give it heat and smoke.
Great recipe, and easy to make.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Absolutely amazing!!! Made this for me and my family and everyone loved it!! Note my kids are very picky and they all loved it… only thing I did different was add all the colors of bell peppers to give it more color but followed as is… thank you so much for this recipe one of my favorites so far
I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made it last night, it was delicious and everyone loved it. I substituted the sausage with hot Italian, because that was what I had on hand and stuck true to the rest of the recipe. Simple comfort food.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Great recipe, it’s been added to my usual rotation because my better half LOVES it. I make my own Cajun seasoning mix for it because the store bought ones contain far too much salt. Thanks for a tasty but super quick and easy dinner idea!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This is an amazing recipe that everyone can put their own spin on. I use old bay to season my chicken. Use chicken andouille sausage… It’s so good!
The only improvement I would make is to fry my smoked sausage first and get a crustiness to it. I also added a large diced jalapeño. Great recipe!
OMG! My family loved this recipe. They asked me to add this to the regular favourites! Thanks for sharing, Katerina!
I am so happy to hear that!! I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
We all loved your version of Jambalaya, I will make it again. But 10 minutes prep time? How many people did you have prepping?
I switched out the andouille sausage for smoked gouda chicken sausage and it brought the points down to 3 on purple!
That sounds delicious! 🙌
I cooked the rice separately and used beef broth instead of chicken broth. I also used creole seasoning instead of Cajun seasoning. It was delicious
I tried this recipe because it looked so good in the photo. My husband loved it and I will definitely make it again. Thank you.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
No okra no jambalaya
Add some dang okra, then.
So add okra, it ain’t hard.
What size Dutch oven should be used? How many quarts?
Hi!
6.5-qt or bigger.
This recipe was AMAZING!! The flavor was incredible and it came together really nicely. I used 1/2 tsp of cajun seasoning bc of the kids and it was just right. I did try to be healthy by using brown rice which more than doubled the cooking time and used a lot more chicken stock. Next time I will probably half cook the rice. Definitely a must try recipe! Ps – I would love a crock pot version.
I was born and raised in South Louisiana and have been cooking jambalaya for years, trust me when I say if you cook this for an authentic Cajun, you will be laughed at relentlessly. This is NOT jambalaya.
Why are you reading this recipe then, go somewhere else
I don’t care what you call this, I just know how delicious it is! I followed this recipe to the “T” and was very impressed with the flavor and ease of preparation. I sliced up a package of 4 Andouille chicken sausages and used extra long grain rice. Not gonna lie, I always bought Zatarians but not anymore. This recipe is a keeper!
Is it really so hard to be nice?
This was a huge hit with my family!! I don’t eat pork so replaced the andouille with hot turkey sausage –
Thank you for posting this recipe!!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Wow so critical of someone who is just sharing her recipe. They have kept it simple and easy. Just because you were born and raised in Louisiana, I find that most people from there cannot cook. what tastes good to you other people my not like it.
I enjoyed this recipe but I also loved Jambalaya when I was in New Orleans. Do you have an authentic recipe to suggest?
Cajun jambalaya is referred to as a brown jambalaya because of its origin in the bayous of Lousiana. The ingredients include smoked andouille sausage that’s browned until the fat is rendered in a pot. It’s then cooked with onion, celery, and green bell pepper in stock with traditional seasoning and rice.
In Creole cuisine cooking, the introduction of tomatoes and shrimp has influences from Spanish, French, Africans locals. Today, Creole jambalaya is more popular than Cajun Jambalaya. You’ll find local restaurants serve “red” Creole Jambalaya with tomatoes more often than Cajun Jambalaya in New Orleans. Most of the locals I know prefer to make jambalaya with the addition of tomatoes.
I made this and the flavor was phenomenal but the rice got mushy. I want to cook the rice on its own first and then add it, but what liquid amounts should I eliminate from the jambalaya?
Hi! I haven’t made it without rice, so I’m not 100% on this, but I think you can eliminate 1 cup of the broth, and if the jambalaya looks too dry, you can always add more liquid. I hope this helps.
How does this freeze? Would like to make ahead of a busy weekend with company.
The best jambalaya I’ve ever made! Everyone loved it!
My husband is a huge fan of jambalaya and he can’t stop talking about this recipe. Thanks!
Looks fantastic and so comforting for a cold winter’s night!!
Absolutely delicious recipe. It makes a big pot of yumminess. It’s spicy and comforting.
This looks like my next meal, amazing!
I’m ready to warm up with a giant bowl of this!
Not sure what was up with that guy, but for me, this recipe is like all others, just a guideline, it works, substitute anything and any measurements that you want, I’m from the south and this is perfect the way it is or since I don’t measure anything, these are just the basic ingredients to make an awesome dinner. Everyone who has tried mine loved. Thanks for the website and all of the great ideas.
Easy and delicious. My hubs asked me to continue to make my Jumbalaya this way and I cleaned my plate. I rarely eat the food I make and I wasn’t passing this up. I used about 1 1/2 orange, green and yellow bell peppers. I also used half a yellow and half a red onion for color. I cut up 1 1/2 cups Roma tomatoes instead of canned. But this is delicious.
Oh and I made my own Cajun seasoning. Was able to use less salt that way.
This was my first attempt at jambalaya and it turned out much better than expected. Subtituted a pinch of Cayenne Pepper for the paprika, forgot it and was to lazy to go back to the store, but this is a fantastic recipe. Thanks…
I love this. Actually, everyone in the family loves it!!! Thanks for a simple, tasty, filling one pot meal recipe.
I made this tonight for my husband and myself, and it turned out incredibly. Super easy to make, but the flavors came together really quickly. I used chicken andouille sausage from Whole Foods, which worked great. This was delicious and I’m adding it to my regular rotation of weeknight dinners!
This looks really flavorful! Such an amazing meal for my family!
Never attempted Jambalaya before but this recipe is awesome. So easy, and the Ingredients were already in my pantry and freezer. The flavors blend well together and the sausage gives it just enough heat! This will be a regular dinner for us from now on!!
Jambalaya is one of my all time favorite dishes!
a really nice recipe, love the flavors, have never tried to tackle Jambalaya before, now am inspired to try, thank you
It looks delicious … I wish I could get andouille sausage though. I wonder if there’s a decent substitute in a mostly Eastern European area.
Hi ya!!
Smoked pork sausage, I think, would be closest to it.
This looks absolutely perfect! SO flavorful!
I always order this if it’s on the menu but have never attempted it at home. Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Going to have to grab some andouille and get to jamalaya-ing : )
I LOVE jambalaya-ing!
I’m originally from New Orleans and LOVE jambalaya! I’ve never added chicken to mine but love that you did. You just can’t go wrong with a delicious jambalaya recipe and yours looks and sounds like a winner!
I typically hear “jambalaya” and “stew” and avoid those textures and recipes. But your pictures grabbed my eyes first and they looked amazing! I made something like this a long while back and didn’t keep the recipe so thanks for sharing it. I know we’re going to love it! PS We have andouille sausage in MN too.
Perfect for a cold! Bonus that it’s less clean up too!!
Can you share what your serving size is for this to be 4 WW freestyle points?
Hi! This jambalaya serves 6, and a serving size is 1 cup. Shrimp and chicken are zero points.
Every self respecting human being who cooks, south of the Mason Dixon line, would sneer at your “yankee” Jambalaya recipe……….. try a single green bell pepper otherwise the you’ll overpower the other flavors, 2 onions, 5 ribs of celery and where’s the heat? Black pepper? ……..sissy!! And good luck finding the sausage north of South Carolina….. substitute SMOKED beef. Oh, yeah one more thing….. IT’s Cajun/Creole not “Southern” the recipe can be found all along the Gulf coast…….the basic recipe came there with the French Acadians when they migrated south because of religious persecution in Nova Scotia.
Hi!
First, thank you for the background story – I truly do appreciate it. I love to know these things!
To your other point; my food is always about simplicity, and if you have followed this recipe blog long enough, you would see that I try to create almost all dishes as easy and as uncomplicated as can be. Very straightforward. Not everyone has the time nor the resources to make everything like grandma used to make.
And, I’ve never ever had a problem with finding andouille sausage up here in Chicago and beyond. I don’t know why you’d assume that we don’t have it.
No problem finding it in Washington State either! Really watching the old diet for health-do you think it would be criminal to sub brown rice?
Hi!
Criminal… could be! I would definitely use some brown rice. I like it … it’s better for you and it adds flavor. 😀
We have it here in CT too! I just made this last night. It was excellent!
Aren’t you just a bowl of sunshine! You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but please don’t speak for the rest of us. Oh, and I’m up North of the Carolinas and have no problem finding andouille sausage.
I’m trying this recipe tonight in SC. It sounds delicious. IF you don’t like it, go post your own.
^^EXACTLY!!
Why, why, why do people have to be so snide? just because they can?
I have the Jambalaya cooking now,& it smells great.
This is a delicious, healthy, fast hack on the traditional recipe. My hubby had seconds and raved! Thank you Katerina!
Someone needs a hug? Poor boy.
To author,
Recipe looks great. Feeding the family tonight and can’t wait
Thank you so much! I hope you and your family enjoy it! 🙂