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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, slow-cooker dinner is effortless and only takes 10 minutes of prep.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: I love meals. I can just dump everything in, set it, and forget it. You can do that with this slow cooker jambalaya recipe!
- Flavor: You will love the way the spices play with the tasty flavors of sausage, chicken, and shrimp.
- One-Pot Meal: One-pot meals are the perfect solution for busy nights! Cajun alfredo, shrimp creole, and foil packets are a few meals that will liven up any dinner.
Ingredients in Slow Cooker Jambalaya
This list of classic cajun ingredients comes together for a fun Southern meal. Various spices blend together to create a warm, spicy dish that is hearty and incredibly delicious!
- Chicken Breasts: A hearty protein that absorbs flavor.
- Andouille Sausage Links: I slice these into bite sized pieces.
- Raw Shrimp: I like to use shrimp that is large, peeled, and deveined.
- Rice: Add uncooked rice 1 hour before the cooking time ends. Or stir in pre-cooked rice with the shrimp 15 minutes before everything finishes.
- Diced Tomatoes: Add to the color and enhance the jambalaya’s sweet and salty flavor.
- Onion, Red Bell Pepper, and Celery: These are the three veggies 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.
How to Make Slow Cooker Jambalaya
This jambalaya will be a new family favorite and is 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: Add the chicken, sausage, tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, chicken broth, thyme, oregano, cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper 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). One hour before the cooking time is done, add in the uncooked rice and stir to combine. In the last 15 minutes, add the shrimp.
- Serve: Serve and enjoy! If you need more heat, add more cayenne pepper.
Easy Jambalaya Tips and Tricks
You can easily customize this slow cooker jambalaya to match your tastes. With these easy tips and suggestions, you will create the best jambalaya around!
- Gumbo or Jambalaya: Gumbo typically uses a roux cooked to a deeply flavored brown stage. It contains more liquid like a stew and includes vegetables like okra, bell peppers, celery, and onions. Jambalaya features rice cooked in one pot with more meat than vegetables.
- Brown Your Meat: Do this before adding it to 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 slow cooker jambalaya recipe makes it easy to change up the meat. It will not interfere with the delicious results! Beef tastes great, so sometimes 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.
- Serve With: Serving your jambalaya with rice is the traditional way of having it. I also like to pair it with 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, the 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 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
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
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 the chicken, sausage, tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, chicken broth, thyme, oregano, cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper into the slow cooker. Then, simply stir to combine.
- Next, set the cooker to low for 7-8 hours (high for 3-4 hours). One hour before the cooking time is done, add in the uncooked rice and stir to combine. In the last 15 minutes, add the shrimp.
- Serve and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this but had to “tweet” it a lot. Added garlic powder because it was bland also added some flour as it was very runny. I would reduce the chicken broth and drain the diced tomonext time.
Should I drain the juice from my tomatoes?
This is a preference. I like to just for a thicker jambalaya but you can use it in the jambalaya too.
How much is a serving I love the fact that you put the nutrition facts but I don’t know serving size
The serving size is one serving size for a serving of 8 people. This slow cooker jambalaya will feed roughly 8 people give or take. Hope that helps!
I’m not Cajun! I’m from Virginia and I don’t care if you call this jambalaya, soup, stew or skipitipity do! This is delicious! I love your jambalaya, delicious! Didn’t change a thing and wouldn’t because this is the recipe! Yummy
Totally agree! A rose by any other name would smell so sweet!!!!
This looks delicious ????. Going to make it this weekend.
Okra….what about Okra…Can’t have gumbo without Okra…I’m making this today and will add it and some other suggestions. Thank you all…
You are not making gumbo, instead you are making jambalaya. Jambalaya is a dry meaty dish cooked with rice. Gumbo is a wet meaty and vegetable dish served over rice. As a Louisiana Cajun we thrive to know the difference.
Cab raw frozen shrimp be used? If so how long before its done should they be thrown in?
Yes, you can use the raw, frozen shrimp. Just wait until it is hot in your slow cooker and add in about an 1 hour.
Several people complained it was too “watery”. Here is the Mid-West, we love sauce poured over our rice, for the flavor. We just love “gravies” of all types. Thank you so very much Sabrina for this delicious recipe! We all loved it and will make it again and again!
Sooo true lol always gotta have extra sauce or gravy !
I made this since it’s low carb and I loved it. I added Tony’s seasoning to add a bit more spicy flavor. My family loved it as well. I made it in my slow cooker and it came out perfect.
Growing up going to New Orleans every summer and still visiting at least once a year… while I love this dish, I’ve lovingly renamed it “gumbalaya.” jambalaya shouldn’t be wet or soupy as this is. It’s a delicious dish for sure, but too soupy and too many vegetables to be jambalaya, and not flavorful enough to be a gumbo because the roux is missing. Regardless, the ease of making this dish makes it an often reoccurring one in our home! I also recommend using uncooked shrimp for this, throwing cooked shrimp in as suggested in some comments makes it tend to be rubbery.
First of all jambalaya is not soupy nor is it a wet dish. Being born and raised in bayou country of Louisiana, jambalaya is a dish made of left over meat, seasonings and rice. No tomatoes, no juice or sauce. It was a dish made to not waste any leftover meats from the week of cooking. Sometimes if you have a cup or so of gumbo or gravy leftover it was added to the water when cooking the rice to add flavor, but not to make it soupy or a heavy consistency.
What do you recommend to sub the shrimp if there is an allergy?
You can just leave out the shrimp even though that is the main ingredient. You can use more sausage and vegetables though.
Can I make in instanpot?
Yes, I have not tried it in the instant pot but it does have the potential to be made in it. Let me know how it turns out!
Do you have an instant pot version??
I don’t at this time. If you use your instant pot let me know how you like it!
I used my InstaPot, sautéed the veggies and added everything else in except shrimp, 22 min pressure, quick release, put on Sauté and added shrimp for 3 min.
Instapot should have a slow cooker button or feature. Mine does. Check your manual.
For those of you who don’t like as much liquid, strain the liquid into another bowl and use it to make your rice. 🙂
My hubby and I LOVED this recipe. The only change I made was that I used Basil Oregano Diced tomatoes.
I will be making this again.
Thanks for sharing.
Is it supposed to look like soup?
Hi Jay jay!
Yes, it should have a soupy look to it. Thanks for the comment and for following along with me!!
How many servings would it make?
This will feed about 6 to 8 people comfortably.