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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 made it and it’s DEFINATELY soupy. It’s not real Jambalaya as in Louisiana, but it’s still good. I call it “Jambo”…. I serve it OVER jasmine rice! I’ve made it my own recipe.👍🏻
Can you add pork also?
Pork would alter the taste a bit but you are welcome to try it. Let me know how it is!
I want to add crawfish tails to this. Should I add them at the same time that I add the shrimp? Or earlier?
That sounds delicious! Add them a little before the shrimp to cook a few minutes longer.
This looks good, but it’s not Jambalaya. I’ve lived in South Louisiana for 60 years, so trust me, Jambalaya resembles rice dressing (no, it’s not rice dressing, but it’s similar).
I’d still cook this, since it looks good. Just call it something else. It resembles gumbo more than it does Jambalaya.
Could I put canned okra in it?
Let me know how it turns out!
Made this slow cooker Jambalaya was Delicious
can’t wait to make it again
Thanks Sam
Hi Sabrina: I made your Crock-Pot Jambalaya and I must say it was wonderful. I made a double portion and my large crockpot was filled to the top. It turned out wonderfully! Thanks for sharing! Sam
I know you already said that we can add raw shrimp, but what if what I have at hand are precooked shrimp? I don’t know if they’ll be rubbery or what. Thanks!
Yes, it will cook very fast and become a little more hard.
Is this recipe spicy hot or mild?
Great question! It is very mild. You can make it spicy or hot if you prefer but it is mild for kids and adults.
I followed this recipe exactly. The end result was too soupy. I made rice on the side to compensate for the liquid. Next time I will use a smaller can of the diced tomatoes and only 1 cup of chicken broth.
My husband enjoyed it . I would give it a 3 out of 5. I will work on thickening it tomorrow.
I loved that there was a lot of liquid in this recipe. Mostly because I took the liquid out at the end and made my rice with it as opposed to just using water. It made the dish perfect! I’ve made this recipe so many times I’ve lost count and EVERYONE gets a second helping when I do make it. (I do add just a little more Cajun seasoning as my family LOVES heat)
I made my rice with the liquid from the crockpot as well an it was delicious! Whether you call it gumbo or jambalaya, I don’t care. It’s a very good dish!
I made it per the recipe. I think it should be called “Gumbolaya,” as there is a lot of liquid. Tasted good, with a nice kick. I think next time I make it I’ll add more vegetables. Thanks!
Good recipe but too soupy. After it cooked for about 4hrs, I took 2 cups of the broth from my crockpot, heated it up a bit in the microwave and added 2 1/2 spoons of flour. Mix well add back to the crockpot. This will thicken the sauce.
I used one can of low sodium chicken broth so it wouldn’t be too soupy. My husband enjoyed it!
For the people that put rice into the crockpot — what kind did you use? I thought if I made rice separately that I might use Zatarans yellow rice…. Thank you
This was really good, easy and flavorful. For the Cajun seasoning I used a spice blend that I got at one of my favorite places to eat in NOLA (The Gumbo Shop) and did not put cayenne pepper in it because the mix already had it in there.
This made enough for 3 meals for us (2 people) when we put it over rice.
Wondering if it freezes well or not?
It does freeze however, with the rice mixed it, it may become mushy when reheating.
My husband has issues with onions, celery and peppers in his food, if he can see them? Can I puree them and add to crockpot for the same output?
I totally get it! Yes, that is a great idea! Let me know how he likes it.
So delicious! My one complaint is that saying prep time is only 10 minutes when you have to do all that chopping/slicing is incredibly misleading.
If you want a shortcut to the veggies, you can buy frozen “Seasoning Blend,” which is chopped onion, celery, and bell peppers. I keep it on hand for quick recipe additions.
Agreed.. i was like this is a lot of chopping! Lol
Made this tonight served over jasmine brown rice. I followed the recipe exactly to see how hot it would be. Delicious’ will definitely make again. I slow cooked it for 7.5 hrs. Thanks for this fun meal!