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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.
I tried the recipe tonight. I love how simple it was and the simplicity of the ingredients.
However, I followed everything to a T but when it came to adding the rice, the current recipe didn’t work for me.
I used a crock pot. Cooked as suggested in the recipe above.
Said to add one cup of rice the last hour which I did. I used regular long grain rice as I didn’t see a suggestion above.
After an hour I tested the rice and it was sticky crunchy and uncooked.
I let it cook for another 30 mins and checked it and still was not cooked. I added another couple tablespoons of chicken stock and let it cook for another hour.
It finally started to come together. But I highly suggest to cook the rice separate.
Otherwise the flavors were good. I did substitute some of the seasonings but overall it was tasty!
i would think cooking the rice in the slow cooker would make it strachy and ruin the delicous flavors…so i too.will.cook the rice seperately
Very good! I used a whole chicken breast without cutting it up prior to putting in the crockpot. Cooked a total of 6 hours, put in rice 2 hours prior instead of 1 and it turned out perfect. Also added a diced jalapeño
What kind of rice did you use? Thx
I like to use long-grained rice and usually jasmine rice.
Did you cook for 6 hours on high or low?
Since I’m cooking for 1-2 persons, I sauteed jumbo wild-caught shrimp but left them out of slow cooker and only added a handful with each batch of Jumbalaya I reheated (feared toughening twice/thrice cooked shrimp). Do you think the flavor of the dish suffers by not spending quality time with the shrimp?
Are you using raw shrimp or cooked?
Made it today for my husband. He loved it. Not my thing. Thank you.
I love jambalaya and gumbo, but I don’t/can’t eat spicy (hot). What can I use instead of cayenne pepper and Cajun seasoning?
Try paprika or, if you like a smoky flavor, smoked paprika.
Just use the Cajun spice seasoning recipe she recommends, but leave out the cayenne pepper.
I will try this tonight & add in the pineapple!
Real Jambalaya the raw rice is cooked in juices
I’m pescatarian, so I make mine with plant based sausage and chicken, as well as the shrimp. So good!
Hey I see it calls for 13-16 count shrimp. I usually use around 25 count because I like the taste of smaller shrimp. I think they taste sweeter. However, I’ve had some awesome larger shrimp that melted in my mouth ans tasted like miniature lobsters. Do you feel the larger shrimp do better for this recipe? Do you think the smaller will work as well? Thank you so much!
Either size of shrimp will be great!
Please don’t cook for so long with the chicken cut up. I cooked it on low, checked the chicken at almost 6 hours and the chicken is so dry.
This was an amazing (and easy) meal that the whole family enjoyed! Can’t wait to make it again!
This is sooo amazing. I added pineapple to it. Needs more pineapple!
How would you reheat it later so as not to overcook the shrimp?
Slowly warm it up in the microwave. You can also take the shrimp out and warm it up separately.
Made this this the first time today. It was really good, except I would recommend making the rice separate. I added the rice to the crockpot mix an hour prior to ot being done,, as instructed, but my rice wasn’t completely soft. Will be better next time!
Is the sausage that you use the “precooked” kind… like Johnsonville?
Thanks!
That’s what I was wondering too
What can you use instead of andouille sausage
I use a brand named Polish sausage. So good and not hot. I also use a gumbo dark roux for the base.
i have used spicy smoked sausage and also cajun precooked sausage with great results-also have made this with precooked shrimp-when i could not get to the store-all good-we do not like the taste of cooked celerry so i used canned tomatoes with onions and celry in it-works great=and always make us some jalepeno cornbread
Lean smoked sausage.
I should prepare this at home. Thanks,.