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Slow Cooker Jambalaya is loaded with tasty sausage, chicken, and shrimp that gets cooked low and slow to activate the bold spices. This hearty dinner is an effortless meal that is ready with only 10 minutes of prep!
One-pot meals are the perfect solution for busy nights! Cajun alfredo, shrimp creole, and foil packets are more easy and flavor-packed meals that will liven up a normal weeknight.
Easy Slow Cooker Jambalaya Recipe
Slow cooker jambalaya is delicious, satisfying, and comes together with hardly any effort at all! Our family favorite slow cooker recipes are normally honey garlic chicken or beef tips, but this jambalaya is so good we’ve been adding it into the regular rotation. The way the spices play with the tasty flavors of sausage and shrimp is so addictive. Savory, spicy, meaty, and juicy, I know this is a dish you and your family won’t be able to resist getting second helpings of!
Jambalaya doesn’t have to take a lot of work. You can just prep and toss all of the ingredients together and let the slow cooker do the work. Or, for an instant flavor boost, brown the sausage with the onions and peppers before adding the ingredients to the slow cooker. Either way, with this recipe you save a lot of time and effort. You can go about your day, being able to return to a dinner packed with terrific New Orleans flavor. This dinner is guaranteed to be a hit!
Ingredients in Slow Cooker Jambalaya
This shortlist of classic cajun ingredients comes together flawlessly. Various spices blend together to create a warm, spicy meal that is hearty and incredibly delicious!
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken cut into chunks will fit perfectly on your spoon.
- Andouille Sausage Links: I slice these into bite-sized pieces.
- Raw Shrimp: I like to use shrimp that is large, peeled and de-veined.
- Diced Tomatoes: Adds to the color and enhances the jambalaya’s sweet and salty flavor.
- Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Celery: These are the three essential flavors that can be found in almost any cajun dish.
- Chicken Broth: You need this liquid to cook your meat. I like using chicken broth because it adds a hint of savory flavor.
- Dried Thyme: Thyme pairs well with the tomato and adds a bit of a minty taste.
- Dried Oregano: Adds a bitter and earthy spice to balance out the flavors.
- Cajun Seasoning: This rustic and bold seasoning blend adds a punch of spice.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adds even more earthy and spicy flavors.
Making Slow Cooker Jambalaya
This jambalaya will be a new family favorite, and it is the quickest and easy to prepare. Simply combine all the ingredients and let your slow cooker work its magic! Honestly, the hardest part is waiting for it to be ready because the smell of this cooking is amazing!
- Combine Ingredients: First, add all the ingredients except the shrimp into the slow cooker. Then, simply stir to combine.
- Cook: Next, set the cooker to low for 7-8 hours (high for 3-4 hours), and in the last 15 minutes add in the shrimp.
- Serve: Serve over rice and enjoy!
Easy Jambalaya Tips and Tricks
This dish can easily be customized to match your individual tastes. With these easy tips and suggestions, you will create the best jambalaya around!
- Gumbo or Jambalaya: The difference between gumbo and jambalaya is that gumbo typically contains a roux which is cooked to a deeply flavored brown stage. It contains more liquid like a stew and is filled with vegetables like okra, bell peppers, celery, and onions. Jambalaya is a traditional rice dish made in one pot with more meat than vegetables.
- Brown Your Meat: Do this before adding it into your crock pot. Browned meat is traditionally a key flavor in jambalaya. Don’t skip this step if you want the most authentic flavor!
- Quality Sausage: Seasoned sausage is one of the most important parts of this recipe. A good quality sausage can really uplevel your jambalaya’s flavor.
- Using Other Meats: This dish is super versatile and changing up the meat will not interfere with the delicious results! Beef tastes great in this, too, so I also like to add in chuck roast. You can also add in crawfish or crab meat.
- Add Enough Spice: If you are planning on serving up your jambalaya with rice, make sure it is heavily seasoned! Rice tends to soak up flavor. Don’t be afraid to add in an extra dash of cajun seasoning!
- Add Garnish: For an extra pop of flavor, top your jambalaya with chopped green onions or parsley. It gives it an aromatic finish.
- Serve With: Serving your jambalaya with rice is the traditional way of having it. I also like to pair it with homemade cornbread or corn casserole for a sweet, creamy contrast to its spicy flavor. Additionally, hush puppies and fried okra are some of my other favorite Southern sides!
Storing Leftover Jambalaya
I love how easy and delicious this recipe is, but also how amazing leftovers taste! Jambalaya is the perfect thing to have on hand for simple weeknight dinners.
- In the Refrigerator: In an airtight container, jambalaya will stay good for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: You can easily microwave jambalaya in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 second intervals until warm. My personal favorite way of reheating jambalaya is on the stove. I feel like it helps retain all of the delicious texture of the meat and shrimp. Heat on medium, stirring frequently until warmed through.
My Other Favorite Cajun Recipes
The hearty, spicy flavors of Cajun cooking pairs perfectly with hot summer nights. Bring the spirit of New Orleans to your kitchen this summer with these other mouthwatering dishes! Easy and packed with flavor, I know you will love all of them just as much as I do!
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Slow Cooker Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts skinless, boneless, cut into chunks
- 1 pound andouille sausage links sliced
- 1 can diced tomatoes 28 ounces
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup uncooked long grain rice (see notes*)
- 1 pound raw shrimp 13-15 count
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients except the shrimp into the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours (high for 3-4 hours). Add int the uncooked rice about 1 hour before finishing.
- Add the shrimp in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Would have liked a thicker sauce, but it was good!
Made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious!! I added more shrimp and sausage.. highly recommend making it.. you won’t regret it!!!
Made this today. It was absolutely scrumptious! Had it over brown rice. My husband loved it and said it was
a keeper. Only change was I use creole seasoning which is a Cajun seasoning as the store was out of the Cajun seasoning.
I seen this same exact recipe on Facebook & I made it but I didn’t use the slow cooker I used my stove it is sooo delicious
Chorizo sausage is very good.
Cooked or raw shrimps?
Raw frozen is what my family uses
What size slow cooker?
I use an 8 quart slow cooker.
Can you make this in the Instapot too?
I have not tried it in the instant pot but it will be great in there too! Let me know how it turns out.
How long to cook this on stove?
We usually end up with a chicken breast, maybe a pork chop or two, not enough for a complete meal for eveyone. My Jambalya has just about any kind of meat I find in the refrigerator (pork, bacon, sausage, chicken, shrimp) but definitely no beef. I start with Zantaran’s as a base. I make it about 6x a year.
Very easy to prep and restaurant quality dish. I will be making this again.
Thank you
mine is cooking now!!!!
Do you put water in the crock pot?
Use chicken broth it tastes better. I use 2 cups, also don’t drain the tomatoes.
How was it? Any suggestions, I wondered if you put rice into the crock pot?
I put rice in the crock pot but it never softened. Ruined the whole dish. I don’t recommend it. Tastes good but the rice is hard.
The recipe says to brown your meats. Did you saute your chicken and sausage? Picture doesn’t seem to show it browned, Thank you,
it reads serve over rice.. cant you nitwits read..
Wonderful taste. Took the bell perrers out and added poblano peppers instead. The chicken is a little over powering, so next time I will take that out and add scallops and a white fish. Put a jalapeño instead of the Cheyenne and added a tablespoon of smoked paprika.
I’m making this for the first time and don’t have any cayenne pepper, so I am using regular. Also I’m going to add scallops in with the shrimp. Crossing my fingers it turns out as good as everyone else that is posting.
What if you don’t have a crockpot what’s the cook time for stove top
Here is another recipe that may help with stove top directions: https://therecipecritic.com/easy-jambalaya-recipe/.
30 min in a pressure cooker.
I cook the chicken separately, spread it, and put it in a plastic bag, add Cajun seasoning and toss. Then I add it at the end and stir it in.
I do the same with the shrimp.
Have the crockpot going now. I had to reduce the recipe for a 4qt pot. I too have always seen the rice added in. I’m going to try adding 1 cup 30 minutes before the end. Wish me luck!!!