Homemade jambalaya is actually one of the easiest one-pot meals you can pull together, even for weeknight eats, and this chicken, shrimp, and sausage version is authentic, hearty, and oh so satisfying.
Jambalaya Takes Less Than an Hour to Make in 1 Pot!
There’s a serious misnomer about jambalaya — too many people think it’s a complicated, long, drawn out recipe to make. But the fact is, jambalaya is actually one of the easiest one-pot meals you can pull together, even for weeknight eats.
Yes, the name is long, and the ingredient list has more than a few items.
And, yes, the recipe requires a few whacks of chopping here and a step or two to take there. But in reality the whole cooking process can be done in under an hour.
This is a beginner-friendly jambalaya recipe that’s packed with smoky andouille sausage, juicy chicken, and succulent shrimp. It’s Mardi Gras! Let’s parade the streets, toss some beads, and celebrate with a big ol’ bowl of homemade jambalaya!
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Blend your fats to prevent burning. Use a combination of butter and oil to sauté the chicken and sausage together. Adding a bit of oil to the butter raises the smoke point so the butter doesn’t burn (which would alter the flavor of the entire dish).
Brown the chicken first. The chicken gets cooked first and is then removed from the pot while the rice simmers. This prevents the chicken from overcooking and turning rubbery, so have a clean plate on standby to rest the meat while you finish the recipe.
Simmer the rice low and slow. The rice is cooked in the pan along with the rest of the ingredients so that it’s infused with tomato-based-broth goodness. Add an additional ¼ cup chicken broth at a time if your rice needs more cooking time, but be wary of adding too much or your rice will be goopy.
The Main Ingredients for Jambalaya
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
Proteins and Rice
- Andouille sausage — A signature creole classic, usually made with smoked pork butt that is flavored with the usual suspects like garlic, onions and other spiced up seasonings, then stuffed into casings and smoked again. Essentially it’s pre-cooked so just needs a quick browning to boost it’s flavor. I can usually find it in my local Kroger/Smith’s Market but if you can’t, check online or at a local meat market.
- Chicken — I typically use chicken breasts, but boneless skinless thighs may be substituted.
- Shrimp — Choose large 21/25 shrimp, which are harder to overcook and remain juicy after cooking with the rice.
- Rice — Long-grain white rice is your only option here. Avoid pre-cooked, instant, brown, or short grain rice, which will turn gummy.
Vegetables
- The “Holy Trinity” — Onions, celery, and green bell pepper are the flavor basis of most Louisiana dishes, and this jambalaya recipe is no exception.
- Crushed tomatoes — Buy a quality brand of tomatoes to prevent your jambalaya from tasting too acidic.
- Okra — Not all jambalaya recipes call for okra, but I love it in mine. It helps thicken the dish and provides a unique flavor and texture that I can’t get enough of.
Seasoning
- Creole seasoning — I use store-bought Creole seasoning from the grocery aisle for the oomph of cajun flavor, and I can usually find several brands to choose from. The result? The spicy taste of cajun flavors infused into the chicken, sausage and sweet shrimp makes this a true one-pot comfort meal.
- Bay leaves — Add a subtly earthy note that deepens the flavor of the dish.
- Hot sauce — A tangy, vinegar-based hot sauce (like Crystal or Tabasco) adds just enough heat to balance out the rich proteins and hearty rice.
How to Make Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp
- Brown the chicken and andouille. You’re looking for both meats to develop some color and for the chicken to cook through. This should take no more than 5 minutes. Remove to a plate to prevent overcooking.
- Sauté the vegetables. Working in the same pot, add the “Holy Trinity” and cook until the veggies have softened.
- Add the liquids and rice. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, seasonings, and rice. Cook just until the rice is tender.
Heidi’s Tip: Once the rice is tender, move on to the next recipe step. If you let the rice hang out for too long, it will soften and turn gummy.
- Add the shrimp and okra. Return the cooked chicken and sausage to the pot, and add the shrimp and okra. Once the shrimp is fully cooked, your jambalaya is ready to serve!
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock, (24 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons Creole seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 ½ cups long grain rice
- 1 16-ounce bag medium shrimp, deveined and shelled
- 1 cup frozen okra
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2-3 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Brown the chicken and sausage. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in large skillet or Dutch oven pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 cubed chicken breasts and 1 pound andouille sausage slices, and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally so all sides are lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium, and add the additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 2 chopped ribs celery, 1 chopped medium onion, 1 chopped green bell pepper, and 3 cloves pressed garlic. Cook until vegetables soften, stirring, for 7-8 minutes.
- Add the liquids and rice. Add 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 3 cups chicken stock, 3 tablespoons creole seasoning, 2 bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 ½ cups long-grain rice and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is nearly done.
- Finish it off with the fast-cooking shrimp and okra. Add the reserved chicken and sausage back to the pan with 1 pound shrimp and 1 cup okra. Cook until the chicken and sausage are warmed and the shrimp and okra are cooked through. Season with kosher salt to taste and garnish with chopped green onions.
Nutrition
FAQs
In a nutshell, jambalaya is Louisiana vegetable and sausage stew. Seafood is often added to jambalaya, and chicken may make an appearance as well. Okra is another traditional ingredient, and from there you can add pretty much any veggie you’d like.
Gumbo is a rich stew that’s thickened with a roux (a fat + flour mixture). The roux is often cooked until it’s very dark in color, which gives the gumbo its signature flavor and color. Unlike jambalaya, gumbo is served over rice — the rice is never cooked directly in the gumbo. Try making my chicken, sausage, and crab gumbo next if you want to do a home taste test yourself!
Jambalaya, on the other hand, is a one-pot rice dish that’s reminiscent of Spanish paella. The rice is always cooked with an assortment of meats and veggies and is a meal-in-one.
You always want to use a long-grain white rice (like jasmine or basmati) when making jambalaya.
Other types of rice (brown, instant, short grain, etc) will clump up or become gummy.
Rinse the rice before adding to the pot to remove any excess dirt and wash off some of the starch, which can cause the rice to clump up or become mushy. Then, add the rice near the end of the cook time and simmer just until the rice is tender and fluffy. This should only take 15 or so minutes!
Jambalaya reheats fairly well, but it’s best enjoyed the day it’s made. The shrimp in this particular recipe may become rubbery when reheated, as a heads up.
What to Serve with Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a meal in itself, but you can stretch this hearty recipe even further by serving one of more of the following sides with it:
More One-Pot Meals to Make
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Gin
I was wracking my brain 4 a 1 pot meal 4 camping & this is PURE GENIUS!!! It was A HIT!!! I sub’d thigh instead of chkn breast. I added shrimp when reheating 2 prevent over cooking. If u like Gumbo, u will LOVE this Jambalaya, my new Go-2!!!
Mom
The liquid : to rice : to spice ratios in this recipe are off. Too much rice.
Also, spices should cook with the saute, to bring out the flavors, before adding the liquid ingredients.
Disappointing method. Good ingredients, but disappointing method.
Judy
Do you use cooked rice or raw rice?
Inci @ Bellas Apron
Adding okra is such a great idea! Thanks!!!!
ZELL
Kris
Same thing happened to me. Rice took to long. Started getting clumpy
Kris
I made this recipe tonight and was really disappointed in it! I used regular long grain rice and the recipe said to cook it for about 15 minutes then add shrimp, okra etc. The rice took way longer to cook and I had to keep adding chicken broth. It actually never cooked completely and got clumpy! Doubt I will ever make this recipe again.
Sorry you had a disappointing experience Kris. It worked well for me so not sure what went wrong.
Bg
Thanks for posting the Jambalaya recipie, I made it for dinner tonight. Easy and delicious!
Jenny Flake
Looks delicious & I always love a little spice!!!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking
Am I the only one that always thinks of Newman from Seinfeld when they hear Jambalaya? Perfect Fat Tuesday post!
Jeannette Hartwick
will probably make this on Thurs. also looking forward to trying the stuffed peppers with mushrooms and chicken. the king cake pops look good. my grandchildren will like them.
Erin@WellPlated
Let the good times roll! I’ll bring the tambourine.
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
I couldn’t agree more. Jambalaya is such a flavorful dish that doesn’t mean slaving away in the kitchen. Love how you have sausage, chicken and shrimp. Sign me up!
MB @ Bourbon and Brown Sugar
Your jambalaya looks fabulous, but I may have to start my day with those king cake donuts – wow!
[email protected]
I’m not much of a fan of Mardi Gras but but I do love me some Cajun food! This looks incred!!!
Laura ~ RYG
This jambalaya looks so good, so cool that you should buy it a pair of Oakley Sunglasses. Ready to celebrate in style and all deliciousness. Yum and more yum!