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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.
Can shrimp be frozen when added..or thawed
I would make sure that the shrimp are thawed before putting them in because they only cook for the last 15 minutes.
Is the shrimp cooked or uncooked?
You add in the uncooked, deveined and peeled shrimp during the last 15 minutes and it will cook in the slow cooker. I hope you love it!
Would this freeze well it’s just my husband and I now and would be to much
You can! Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months in your freezer and then thaw it in your fridge overnight. You can then heat it up on your stove! Keep in mind that the rice may have a different, slightly mushy texture after being frozen.
If I decide to put the rice in the slow cooker, is it put in raw or cooked before and added in? You’re not clear on that- and is that after the shrimp or before?
Thanks!
You can mix in some cooked rice to the jambalaya just before serving. Or, you can just serve it on top of some rice instead!
I take it the shrimp used in this recipe: SLOW COOKER JAMBALAYA is raw before they sre put into the slow cooker?
Yes! The shrimp won’t be put into the slow cooker until the last 15 minutes and then it will cook with the rest of the ingredients. I hope that you love it!
Do you cook chicken first?
No, put the chicken n raw! It will cook with the rest of the ingredients.I hope you love it!
Can you add some frozen okra?
I’ve never tried that but it sounds delicious!
Making this tonight for my Bunco group. Crossing my fingers I did everything right. Our theme is Mardi Gras!
Alyssa
I absolutely loved this recipe. I’ve always wanted to try jambalaya but not a big fan of spicy. I reduced the amounts of Cajun seasonings & cayenne but added little more at a time to get the right flavor. I don’t even enjoy cooking but my whole family loved it. My husband, parents, and sister all tried it. It worked out great. Since I became a caregiver for my parents it’s been hard to find easy to cook recipes that we all like because I’m just not a big fan of vegetables.
Absolute delicious. Our entire family loved and it’s definitely a recipe to keep and repeat. Also, it’s very easy.
Thanks for a geat one!
I don’t like the Cajun flavor nor to I like heavy spice. I do however like soups and stews and veggies so I would like to give this a whirl. Would cutting spices in half still give me a little of the traditional flavor? Could I leave the Cajun seasoning out completely or would that spoil it too much? Might not be as cold here in TX as it is in MN, but it is dang chilly right now!
Thanks for what you do!
Question – my husband is deadly allergic to seafood. What kind of fish would you recommend to use instead of the shrimp?
Hi Kim! With a food allergy like that, I would just leave out the seafood altogether. You could add in some more chicken! Dark meat adds in a great flavor! I hope you love it!
This was fantastic! Easy to make.
I had all my ingredients prepped and in the pot before I read the suggestion UNDER the recipe to brown the meat first for more authentic flavors. The actual recipe didn’t mention browning, but perhaps it should if that’s how to achieve the best flavor. That being said, I tripled the recipe and everyone enjoyed it on Super Bowl Sunday.
I agree with you that browning the meat should be part of the instructions and not just a “tip”.
Good flavor but rice needs to cook longer. Didn’t have plain diced tomatoes so I used Rotel and it came out fine. I also added some super spicy peppers I had frozen from our garden this past summer. Everything turned out really well and I would recommend this recipe for an easy jambalaya.
I have made jambalaya for many years—always stove top. Tried this recipe, but cooked the rice separately. Also I browned the sausage in a cast iron skillet. It tasted very good, except the rice didn’t of course have the flavor of the dish and was too soupy as I did not take the chicken broth out and use it directly in the rice . Knowing my mistakes, I’ll probably try it again—or maybe just cook in spot on the stove! Great spicy flavor though!