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This easy jambalaya is a one-pot flavor bomb with tender chicken, smoky sausage, juicy shrimp, and seasoned rice. It’s hearty, cozy, and easy enough for a weeknight!
Everything You Want in One Pot
- Easy cleanup: Everything cooks in one Dutch oven, so there are fewer dishes to wash.
- Big flavor: Sausage, tomatoes, herbs, and spices give this jambalaya a smoky, savory kick.
- Perfect rice: Long-grain white rice cooks right in the broth and soaks up all that good flavor.
What Is Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a Louisiana rice dish made with meat, veggies, spices, and rice. This version has chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, tomatoes, and the Cajun “holy trinity” of onion, celery, and bell pepper.
Ingredients Needed For Jambalaya
- Andouille sausage: Swap it for kielbasa or smoked sausage for less heat.
- Cayenne pepper: Add ¼-½ teaspoon if you like it spicy, or add hot sauce at the end.
- Shrimp: Leave it out for a seafood-free jambalaya.
- Veggies: Pulse the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor to save time.
- Shrimp tails: Leave them on for looks or remove them to make eating easier.
How to Cook Jambalaya
This jambalaya comes together in one pot and builds tons of flavor as it cooks. If you love that smoky Southern flavor, try my New Orleans gumbo or red beans and rice next!
- Cook the chicken and sausage: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the chicken and andouille sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the vegetables: Stir in the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, then cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the seasonings: Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Old Bay seasoning, oregano, paprika, onion powder, thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
- Cook the rice: Stir in the rice, then reduce the heat to medium-low cover, then cook for 20 minutes. If the rice is still firm, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp: Stir in the shrimp, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until pink and cooked through. Remove the bay leaves, fluff the rice with a fork, and garnish jambalaya with parsley or green onions if desired.
Alyssa’s Pro Tips
- Watch the shrimp: Small shrimp may only need 2-3 minutes. Cook them just until pink.
- Save time: Use cooked chicken and microwave rice. Add the chicken near the end, then stir in the rice just long enough to heat it before adding the shrimp.
Must Have Kitchen Tools For This Recipe
Large Dutch Oven: A deep pot with a lid gives everything plenty of room to cook.
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Jambalaya
This easy jambalaya is a hearty one-pot dinner with chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, veggies, and perfectly seasoned rice.
Equipment
- Large dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces about 1 pound
- 14 ounces sliced andouille sausage or kielbasa for less spice
- 1 cup diced onion about half a large onion
- 1 cup diced celery about 2-3 ribs
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper about 1 medium bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic about 6 cloves
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes not drained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp I prefer large or jumbo
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces and 14 ounces sliced andouille sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced celery, 1 cup diced green bell pepper, and 2 tablespoons minced garlic, and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
- Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 2 bay leaves. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir in 1 cup long-grain white rice and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. If the rice is still not done, cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Discard the bay leaves, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve with parsley or green onions as garnish, if desired.
Video
Notes
Leftover Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of chicken broth if needed.
- Freezer: Freeze only if using fresh shrimp. Cool completely, store in an airtight container for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding broth as needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 32gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 1400mgPotassium: 719mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 505IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
I truly love all your delicious recipes I am glad you shared it and hardly people do that nice gesture thank you so much
It was delicious, but I recommend adding more rice (and chicken stock) as well as fresh parsley.
I’ve made this recipe so many times now, and I love it! I only use one andouille sausage cut up very small because otherwise it’s too spicy for me. I also don’t brown it, because it’s already fully cooked and I’m lazy. 🙂 It still turns out great!
This was very delicious! Added some fresh cilantro! Thank you for this recipe!
Absolutely spectacular meal, I made it the other night for my friends. The spice nearly killed them, but all in all it was wonderful!
Made this tonight for dinner and it was simple and amazing!! I used chicken breasts cut in bite sized pieces and cooked with the sausage. Made your Cajan spice recipe and used in lieu of other spices, but added bay leaves as stated. I served it with your recipe for Homemade Cornbread which was super yummy and simple to make. Both are new family favorites, thanks as always for the incredible recipes!
I’m so glad you loved it!! Thanks for trying out all of my recipes!
Love a good, easy skillet meal! This had wonderful spices and came together quickly. Two swaps: I used an envelope of precooked rice to speed it along even more, and I used a 14oz can of crushed tomatoes as I prefer their texture over whole tomatoes. Family enjoyed it…will make again!
So soooo good! This is the only recipe thats practical for Jambalaya in my opinion. We make the rice separate so it cooks faster, and i use a regular chicken breast, not rotisserie chicken. But the rest of the recipe i follow to a T and it is so yummy. We have made it twice now in a short span. We also like to make cornbread for a side and they pair so well together.
So good. I made it pretty much like the recipe, except for subbing chicken Italian sausage, canned tomatoes with basil and oregano, and more shrimp. Don’t skimp om the smoked paprika. This is my new go-to Jambalaya recipe. Thanks so much.
Soooooooooooooooooooooo good. Did not use “Smokey Paprika” though. Did not use Andouille Sausage, used a beef sausage instead.
I made this for my mother-in-law. And it was good she even took some to go. This is also my first time cooking for her. Also, my first time cooking JAMBALAYA I’ll be using this recipe again.
My family loved this! I used raw chicken breasts instead of rotisserie. Browned it in the pot before adding the veggies. Took it out after browning and cut into small pieces. Added back in at the end. Used about 3 cups of chicken broth. Also substituted brown cooked basmati rice so added that at the end also. I put the shrimp in and after turning off the stovetop and let it cook with the lid on. Will make this again!