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This easy jambalaya recipe is packed with chicken, shrimp, healthy veggies, fluffy rice, and bold Cajun spices - a comforting, one-pan meal, perfect for meal prep or entertaining a crowd.
I love a good jambayla, don’t you? It’s not a difficult dish to make, even though many people think so. I promise, this recipe is really approachable! I love making this one-pan meal on the weekend (it takes about 1 ¼ hours) and having the leftovers during the week. We have an Instant Pot version on the blog, but sometimes I just don’t feel like lugging it out of the cupboard.
This Louisiana recipe has just as much delicious depth, with a few more ways to adapt it without losing the classic bold Cajun flavor. I’m so excited for you to try this!
Why you’ll love this Jambalya recipe!
It’s adaptable. Not a fan of shellfish or pork? Feel free to leave them out. Here, we use chicken sausage (instead of pork) for a lighter version. And of course, add more veggies and less meat if you like. Or you can also use skin-on chicken thighs for even more richness.
Bold Cajun flavor. The spices are balanced, giving this a big, bold Cajun flavor. Fish sauce adds depth to chicken broth, my tip for adding umami without using shellfish broth. We use the “holy trinity” ( celery, onion and bell pepper) for the best balanced flavor.
Great for meal prep. This is one of those meals where it just keeps getting better. My husband and I fight over the leftovers!
Jambalaya Recipe IngrediEnts
- Proteins (chicken, chicken andouille sausage, shrimp) - Chicken breast or thighs add hearty texture, we use chicken andouille sausage for smoky spice, and shrimp for briny depth; amounts can be adjusted based on preference.
- Aromatics (onion, garlic, celery) - Form the classic savory foundation, adding depth, sweetness, and balance.
- Olive oil - Used to sauté and build the flavor base of the dish.
- Vegetables (red bell pepper, green bell pepper, jalapeño) - Add color, sweetness, and customizable heat.
- Long-grain white rice - Absorbs the flavorful broth while staying fluffy; basmati or jasmine rice works as a substitute.
- Spices & herbs (smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried sage or oregano, ground mustard, bay leaves) - Create jambalaya's signature smoky, earthy, and aromatic flavor profile. You can also try our homemade Cajun seasoning!
- Crushed tomatoes - Add acidity, moisture, and richness; fresh tomatoes blended smooth can be used instead.
- Chicken broth - or shellfish broth. Forms the flavorful cooking liquid; shellfish broth works well if emphasizing seafood. *We add a little fish sauce to boost the flavor of the chicken broth here!
- Salt and black pepper - Season and balance all the flavors.
- Optional vegetables (peas, edamame, green beans, or okra) - Add color, texture, and extra vegetables to the dish.
- Garnish (green onions, hot sauce) - Add freshness, brightness, and optional heat just before serving.
How to Make Jambalaya
1. Sear the protein. Bring a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sear. Transfer to a large plate. Add the chicken sausage to the pan and brown it on both sides, then transfer it to the plate. Add the shrimp to the skillet and quickly brown both sides, then transfer them to the plate. No need to cook through.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Wipe out the pan if you’d like, then add a little more oil and the onions and garlic. Sauté over medium-high heat until tender. Reduce the heat to medium and add the celery, bell peppers, and jalapeño. Stir until just softened, then add the rice, smoked paprika, thyme, sage or oregano, mustard powder, and bay leaves. Stir for a minute.
3. Simmer. Add the crushed tomatoes and 3 cups of the chicken broth and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, sausage, and any optional veggies. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes or so. Add more broth as needed.
4. Nestle. When the rice is nearly tender, nestle in the seared shrimp. Cook until the shrimp is cooked through and the rice is tender.
5. Season, garnish, and serve. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve and garnish with green onions and hot sauce, if desired.
Chef’s Tips
- Quickly sear the protein. The protein will continue to cook in the jambalaya, so there is no need to cook it through when browning in the skillet. Simply give each protein a nice sear.
- Use two pans to save time. Use one pan for the chicken, sausage, and shrimp, and another for the onion, garlic, and veggies, so they can cook at the same time. The downside is you’ll have an extra pan to clean, and the veggies won’t get the extra flavor of the browned bits from the meat.
- Add depth to the chicken broth. Add a tablespoon of fish sauce or soy sauce, or a few splashes of Worcestershire, for deeper flavor.
- Stir every 7 minutes while simmering. This prevents the rice from burning in the bottom of the skillet. Add more broth as needed.
- Adjust to your taste and dietary preferences. Leave out the shrimp if you wish, cut back on the meat and add more veggies, or use skin-on chicken thighs for even more richness. For a vegan version, use plant-based sausage. For more heat, add red pepper flakes and serve with hot sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Jambalaya can be served on its own with green onions and hot sauce, but if you’d like something on the side, bread for scooping is a great choice. Serve with biscuits or cornbread, or serve with a veggie side, like grilled corn salad, sautéed greens, okra, or lemony coleslaw!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the jambalaya for 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to prevent drying.
Hope you enjoy this lightened-up chicken and sausage jambalaya - the perfect one-pot meal for cozy weeknight dinners!
More Favorite Rice Recipes
⭐️ After you try this Jambalaya recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Easy Jambalaya Recipe
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Chicken, Dinner, entertaining, potluck recipes, rice
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American, Cajun
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Description
This one-pot jambalaya is packed with chicken, shrimp, healthy veggies, rice, and bold Cajun spices - a comforting, one-pan meal, perfect for meal prep or entertaining a crowd.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8- 12 ounces chicken andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
- 8–16 ounces large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4–6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 ribs of celery, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 a jalapeno, finely chopped (more or less depending on heat tolerance)
- 1 1/2 cups extra long-grain white rice (or use basmati or jasmine)
- 2 heaping teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon dry ground sage or oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes (or blend 1 1/2 cups tomatoes in a blender)
- 3–4 cups of chicken broth, *see notes (or shellfish broth)
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Garnish: green onions and hot sauce.
Optional additions: 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, edamame, green beans or okra
Instructions
- Sear the meat. Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Brown it, but no need to cook it through, lowering the heat if necessary. Scoop this onto a large plate. To the same pan, add the sausage, browning both sides, then place it with the chicken. Add the shrimp and quickly brown both sides, giving it some color. Place it with the sausage and chicken.
- Saute the veggies. *See note. To the same pan (wipe it out if you want) add a little more olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant and tender. Lower the heat to medium, add the celery, bell peppers, and jalapeno, and stir until just softened. Add the rice, smoked paprika, thyme, sage or oregano, mustard powder, bay leaves, and give a good stir for one minute.
- Simmer. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 3 cups of the chicken broth, then season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, sausage, and any optional veggies. (Wait to add the shrimp.)Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is perfectly tender. Stir every 7 minutes or so to prevent burning, adding more broth as needed.
- Nestle. When the rice is almost done, nestle in the seared shrimp. Continue cooking, covered, until the shrimp is cooked through and the rice is tender.
- Season. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish and serve with the green onions and optional hot sauce.
Notes
Note: I actually like to use two pans here, simultaneously. One for the chicken, sausage, and shrimp, and another large pan for the onion, garlic, and veggies, and simmering. This makes it faster, but there is more cleanup, and you don’t get the browned bits and flavor from the meat.
To add depth to Chicken Broth: add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce ( trust me), or soy sauce or a few splashes of Worcestershire.
Storing Leftovers: Allow to cool then store up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to prevent drying out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 462
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 538 mg
- Fat: 8.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 52.9 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 43.5 g
- Cholesterol: 154.3 mg
