Jambalaya

What is it about jambalaya that is just so darn good?! I think it’s the fact that every single ingredient in it just adds more and more flavor. And you know a dish is going to be great when it starts out with that perfect holy trinity of onions, green peppers, and celery. 

This recipe is one that we make all the time in my house. I don’t make it too spicy so the kids can eat it and my husband just sprinkles extra Cajun seasoning on his bowl since he likes his extra spicy. I’m a wimp and can’t handle that!

I always thought that Jambalaya seemed complicated or that it took so much time but this is done in less than an hour and it’s a full meal in one dish! You have lots of veggies, 2 types of meat, and the rice which make this such a hearty and satisfying meal!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Jambalaya

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time55 mins

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 1.5 pounds chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
• 12-14 ounces andouille sausage (If you can't find that, you can use a regular smoked sausage.)
• 1 tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder
• 1 green bell pepper (diced finely)
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced finely)
• 2 ribs of celery (diced finely)
• 3 large garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tsp Cajun/Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
• 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 8 cups chicken broth or stock

Instructions

• Start by doing all your cutting so you can just toss things in as you go. Chop your veggies finely, cut your chicken into bit size pieces, and slice the sausage into 1/4" slices. 
• Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium high heat. Once hot, add in your chicken, sausage, and the 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Cook until the chicken is slightly browned. (about 10 minutes)
• Remove the chicken and sausage from the pan and set it aside on a plate or bowl. Return the pan to the heat and lower it to medium-low heat. 
• Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and add in the diced pepper, onion, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until the veggies are soft. (Tip: I like to cover the pan in-between stirs so the veggies soften a lot faster)
• After the 5 minutes, add in your minced garlic and cook for just another minute or 2. 
• Next add in your cajun seasoning, 1 more teaspoon of salt, your can of diced tomatoes, the chicken and sausage, the uncooked rice, and the chicken broth. (If you wanted to add shrimp to your jambalaya, you can add 1/2 a pound in now)
• Raise the heat to high and bring everything to a full boil. Boil for 2 minutes and then lower the heat all the way down to low, cover the pot, and set your timer for 25 minutes. 
• Once the 25 minutes are up, you can serve and enjoy! 

Notes

(I use just 1 teaspoon of the Tony Chachere's seasoning and it gives it just a little spice. If you want it VERY spicy, you can use 1 tablespoon)