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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.
How many servings for this?
This will feed about 8 people generously.
Does this freeze well?
Delicious, we loved it! Very easy to make also! Thank you! But have enough left over for another meal so I want to freeze it.
This is sooooo good. I cooked it on stove top as well.
I added garlic. But then again I add garlic to everything.
I wanted the sauce a little thicker so I used 1 cup tomato juice & whisk 3 tbsp cornstarch then added it . Turn temp up a bit & once it starts to boil it thickens. Turned out fantastic.
My husband absolutely lived it.
I would definitely make it again.
How many does this serve?
About 12 people.
Made this last night using my InstaPot and it was delicious! Husband said better than anything he ever had in NOLA! I’m not a big fan of jambalaya because I feel there is too much rice, cooking rice separate allowed me to control the rice and the broth was delicious!
Does the chicken need to be thawed out first or can I just cut the frozen piece into chunks and put it in?
I would recommend thawing your chicken but it will just need to cook a little longer for the frozen pieces to cook through.
I used the recipe as a base and then added garlic, seasonal and more Cajun seasoning. I think next time I’d use half the amount of onion.
I’m glad that I read all the comments, and being a northern girl I love southern dishes but didn’t grow up on it or have the first clue on how to make it. I’ll be making this tomorrow and plan on sautéing my sausage and onions with some olive oil then adding flour to thicken it up. I’m not a fan of soupy foods (unless it is soup), so I want to make it thicker. But I plan on doing everything else as listed since I have never made this before. Wish me luck!!
I am in the process of making it now. Looks good I did add more sausage and shrimp to beef it up a little bit. The shrimp I actually coated in Cajun seasoning and let it sit in the refrigerator the first two hours. In the last hour I pan roasted the shrimp to give it a bit of a char then I added to the rest. It smells awesome I can’t wait to try it out!!!
Made this and EVERY single person loved it! Then my foster kid in Texas made and he loved it and then a friend in Oregon made it and they loved it. I am VERY happy with this recipe and it is only 2 points on WW. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing! I have been sharing it with everyone. 🙂
Thnx for all d recipes u shared to us god bless
Although this is a great tasting recipe, it needs a different name than jambalaya. Jambalaya is a rice base, and not watery at all!!
Akyssa:
Any other spices I can use to make this since I am not a fan of very spicy food. It sounds wonderful so I would like to make it with other spices to make it just as tasty?
You are welcome to leave out the spicy ingredients and not have to substitute them. It will be a little milder and still have great taste.
I realized I have chickstock on my shelf not broth. What can I do?
Chicken broth is a little different but you can use the stock instead if you need.
Can you use any type of sausage?
Yes, you can use what you prefer.
I made it! It was great! Added a little corn starch and water to thicken it up ! It was very good ! Thank u!
How much corn starch N water did you add and when did you add them? Thanks