The Best Jambalaya Recipe

Jambalaya is a classic comfort dish that hails from Louisiana. It’s boldly seasoned and features a medley of filling and flavorful ingredients like andouille sausage, tender chicken thigh meat, shrimp, okra, bell peppers and more all served atop fluffy white rice. It’s guaranteed to make your mouth water!

It’s hard to forget your very first bowl of Jambalaya. The flavors are so bold, yet they meld together in a beautiful symphony of spicy and savory notes in each spoonful as all creole food does. Ever since I had my first perfect bowl at a NOLA restaurant, I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since!

Well, I’ve mastered it with this easy dinner recipe. It has all of the flavors I’ve been craving with no unnecessary frills! While all of the ingredients in the mix are downright delicious, I think the one that really makes it taste like authentic Louisiana goodness is the addition of Cajun seasoning. I even sprinkle a little extra on top of my bowl.

Another thing I love about Cajun Jambalaya is that it’s a well-rounded one-pot dish. It had rice, three different proteins, and a medley of veggies in every bite. No need to fret over side dishes when you’ve got the best Jambalaya on the dinner table! With that being said, I do like to serve Jambalaya with a crusty piece of bread to help soak up every last flavorful drop of broth.

Ingredients for Jambalaya

• Sausage – Andouille sausage is traditional in cajun cooking and is what I use in this recipe. You can substitute with another kind of sausage like hot Italian sausage, chorizo or kielbasa, if you prefer.
• Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cook quickly and stay juicy in this recipe. You can swap thighs for boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Vegetables – The holy trinity is the base for the sauce, sweet onion or yellow onion, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, celery is the start of the recipe. You can add green bell pepper for color, as well. Chopped fresh garlic is a must.
• Shrimp – I’ve had seafood jambalaya with a variety of shellfish but like to make mine with shrimp because it’s easy to find at a decent price point. Use large shrimp, fresh or frozen and thawed work well.
• Seasoning – A blend of cajun seasoning or creole seasoning, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, file powder, and black pepper add the perfect amount of spice.
• Chicken Stock – I like the richer flavor of homemade chicken stock but you can substitute with chicken broth with great results.
• Tomatoes – Canned Crushed tomatoes enhance the sauce, if you can find fire-roasted tomatoes, they’re even better and more flavorful because they add a smokey flavour. You can add tomato paste to the vegetables for a richer flavor or use a can of tomato sauce if you prefer a less chunky sauce.
• Okra – Fresh okra is best but I’ve used frozen okra with great results.
• Rice – Long grain rice is traditional but you can use your favorite variety of uncooked rice. Brown rice is a great substitute, as well.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

What is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is an American Creole and cajun recipe that’s rice based. It’s made with mainly meat or seafood and rice.

Often confused with Gumbo, Jambalaya and gumbo are similar but not the same. Gumbo is a thick stew that’s served over rice where Jambalaya is a rice dish cooked in stew. It’s the perfect one-pot meal.

How to Make Jambalaya

This New Orleans classic is easier to make than you may think!

1. Cook the sausage and chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season both meats with Cajun seasoning. Sauté the sausage until browned then remove from the pot. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides before also removing from the pot.
2. Add the veggies and seasonings. Sauté the onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic until tender. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, okra, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Be sure to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the meat back to the pot. Return both the chicken and sausage to the pot. Lower the temperature to medium heat. Stir to combine and let cook for 10 minutes.
4. Cook the rice. Stir in the rice and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat before adding the shrimp. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
5. Serve. Serve the jambalaya in bowls topped with chopped green onions and fresh parsley.

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Tips and Variations to Try

• Change the consistency with rice. I like my jambalaya a little on the soupy side, but if you like it to be less liquid-y you can simply add an extra 1/2 cup of rice.
• You can use frozen shrimp. Yep, frozen shrimp work just fine! Make sure to let them completely thaw prior to cooking.
• Use homemade Cajun seasoning. The store-bought stuff is usually loaded with sodium. Get lots of flavor and way less saltiness when you use my favorite recipe for Cajun Seasoning!
• Make it spicy. Craving a little extra heat? Add more crushed red pepper flakes! You can also sprinkle in some cayenne powder if you really want to enhance the spiciness. For you real heat lovers, serve yourself a bowl with your favorite hot sauce drizzled across the top.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover Jambalaya will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just be sure to let it first cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container.

To reheat it, the microwave works just fine. However, I get the best results when I pop it back into a pot and let it warm through over medium-low heat. Stir often!

This is a great jambalaya to make in advance for easy dinner during the busy week or to prep ahead for a Mardi Gras party.

More Easy Cajun Recipe Ideas!

• Cajun Seafood Boil
• Cajun Corn Maque Choux
• Easy Shrimp Etouffee
• Fried Shrimp Po’Boy
• Creole Shrimp

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