Cajun Jambalaya

A delicious Jambalaya recipe, classically prepared with chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage. This easy cajun stew is a healthy meal, with rice, vegetables, and plenty of protein, all simmered in one pot.

*Today I’m partnering with Sharp Home USA ~ Sharp creates quality home appliances that make life better! This recipe was developed for the Sharp 30” Width Induction Cooktop, with a European Black Mirror Finish Made With Premium Schott® Glass – a luxurious and smart kitchen appliance that’s transformed my kitchen. Thank you for supporting the brands I work with!

Easy Jambalaya Recipe with Sausage and Shrimp

Jambalaya is a special recipe, one I like to make for guests or for special family dinners.

This cajun recipe is full of flavor, and packed with plenty of our favorite proteins – chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage.

It’s intimidating to create classic recipes like Jambalaya at home. Surely a dish like this must take a long time?

While it does have a long ingredient list, the process is actually super simple, and the end result is definitely worth it!

To make Jambalaya:

• Sauté the onions, garlic, celery and peppers. These ingredients form the base of many cajun dishes and are referred to as the trinity. This step provides authentic flavor.
• Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and spices.
• Simmer the vegetables along with long grained white rice.
• Brown the chicken and sausage.
• When the rice is cooked, add the chicken, sausage, shrimp and okra to the pot.

Many recipes will call for gumbo file, which is made from the crumbled leaves of the sassafras tree. If using okra, there is no need to buy this (unless you make a lot of cajun recipes!).

A Full Meal Simmered in One Pot

Having a hearty, protein rich meal simmered in one pot is a good plan of attack. I am all for more time with my family and less time doing dishes.

I actually did use a separate pan to brown the chicken and sausage for this recipe, but to truly make it a one pot meal, brown the chicken and sausage first, set aside, and then move on to making the cajun stew.

Slowly simmering a warming dinner like this Jambalaya recipe is a breeze with my Sharp Induction Cooktop.

The Sharp Induction Cooktop heats and cools almost instantly – no more waiting for your oil to heat, or your water to boil. I especially love the “power boost” feature that boils pasta water in about a minute.

I never knew I needed an Induction Cooktop until I received this one.

Reasons you might need one, too:

• The Power Boost means dinner is ready so much faster. Boil water or broths almost instantly.
• It looks gorgeous and so sleek – and is easily cleaned by a quick wipe across the surface after use.
• Features like the kitchen timer, the warming option, and the simmer enhancer mean help “auto pilot” cooking. Set the timer for a reminder to check your dish before it burns. Put a pot on the “warm” setting so dinner stays hot until you can corral your family to the table. Let your sauces simmer slowly on the simmer enhancer feature without worrying about them burning to your pot. All very helpful if you’re often distracted while making dinner (hello, parents!).
• The advanced safety features make me feel at ease while I am running around doing a million things at a time. All of the cooktop controls can be locked-down and the cookware must be present for a cooking zone to turn on, so I can’t accidentally turn it on, or leave it on after I remove a pot.

Once you’ve added the chicken and sausage to the stew, it’s as simple as tossing in the shrimp and okra to finish off the meal. The okra needs to simmer about 10 minutes. It has compounds that are released when heating that will thicken a broth similar to corn starch.

Once your stew looks nice and thick, season with addition salt, pepper and cayenne, and then serve!

More About Jambalaya

What is the difference between jambalaya and gumbo?

Jambalaya and Gumbo are both cajun favorites with chicken, sausage and seafood. However, gumbo is thickened with a roux (flour toasted in oil), and jambalaya is a tomato stew. Gumbo is a stew served on top of rice, and the jambalaya is a one pot dish with the rice cooked along with it.

What is usually in Jambalaya?

Jambalaya starts with the cajun trinity – garlic, onions and celery. The vegetables are cooked with peppers, chicken broth, tomatoes, and rice, and then meats such as chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp are added.

What kind of rice is used in jambalaya?

A long grained or medium grained white rice is ideal for Jambalaya. The rice is cooked in the tomato stew, infusing it with the spices and flavors of the dish. Brown rice takes longer to cook, so most recipes would require more broth to allow for the extended time needed.

Jambalaya

A warming cajun stew made with chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp. This classic Southern American recipe is a healthy one pot dinner! Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list - the method is simple and the hearty meal is worth the effort!

4.20 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 476kcal

Author: Michelle Miller

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
• ▢ 1 pound chicken breasts cut into chunks
• ▢ 3 andouille sausages sliced into pieces
• ▢ 1 onion chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1/2 cup celery chopped
• ▢ 1 jalapeno minced
• ▢ 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 3-4 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 cup white rice uncooked
• ▢ 2 bell peppers green or colored, chopped in large pieces
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
• ▢ 1 teaspoon thyme
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less, to taste
• ▢ 1 pound shrimp
• ▢ 2 cups okra (can buy frozen if fresh is not available), chopped

Instructions

• In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat over medium heat.
• Add the garlic, onions, celery and jalapeno, and saute for about 10 minutes, until fragrant.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, 3 cups of chicken broth, uncooked rice, bell peppers, and spices. Allow to simmer, occasionally stirring, for about 30 minutes. Turn heat down to medium low once it begins to simmer.
• In a separate skillet, add the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and brown chicken breasts, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Once the chicken has begun to brown, add the sausage and brown it as well.
• When the rice is cooked, add the browned chicken and sausage to the pot, along with the uncooked shrimp and okra.
• Continue to simmer the stew for about 10 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through the the okra has thickened the broth. Add additional chicken broth to thin to desired consistency, and season with additional salt and pepper.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 267mg | Sodium: 1416mg | Potassium: 858mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2815IU | Vitamin C: 76.1mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 3.8mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SunkissedKitch or tag #SunkissedKitchen!

Other Rice Recipes:

• Mexican Quinoa and Rice, by Sunkissed Kitchen
• Crockpot Gumbo, by Sunkissed Kitchen
• Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken and Rice, by Sunkissed Kitchen

I’d love to connect with you on social media! Find me on Facebook or Instagram where I post daily healthy eating and lifestyle inspiration.

This Jambalaya post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase, I will receive part of the sale as a commission. This helps me continue to bring you lots of fresh and inspired recipes!