I finally nailed my Classic Jambalaya Recipe with a tiny spice swap and a one-pot trick that creates an unexpected twist in the chicken, sausage, shrimp, and rice.
I never thought a single pot could feel this wrong and right at the same time, but my Best Jambalaya Recipe For Mardi Gras does exactly that. Loaded with boneless skinless chicken thighs and smoky Andouille sausage, it hits the strange sweet spot between messy and brilliant.
It’s loud, a little stubborn, and way too easy to love, a Jambalaya Recipe Chicken And Sausage that folks ask for again and again. I even call it a Healthy Jambalaya Recipe Easy when I need a quick win, yet it still tastes like a celebration.
You’ll wonder what I did differently.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: Rich in protein and iron, keeps jambalaya hearty, it’s a bit fatty.
- Andouille sausage: Smoky, spicy sausage, adds fat and flavor, it’s also pretty salty.
- Shrimp: Shrimp is lean protein, cooks fast, gives a sweet seafood flavor.
- Rice: Rice gives carbs and bulk, soaks up juices and seasonings real good.
- Onion, bell pepper, celery: Bring crunch, fiber and savory base, classic trio.
- Canned tomatoes: Add acidity and moisture, balance the spice, add vitamin C.
- Cajun seasoning: Mixes paprika, garlic and heat, gives that Creole kick.
- Chicken stock: Adds body and salt, helps rice cook right without drying.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
- 12 oz Andouille sausage sliced (or smoked kielbasa)
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 green onions sliced for garnish
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped for garnish
- Hot sauce for serving optional
How to Make this
1. Pat the chicken dry, season lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown the chicken in batches until golden, about 4 minutes per side, remove to a plate and set aside. Browning is where the flavor lives, so don’t rush it.
2. Add the sliced Andouille (or kielbasa) to the hot pot and brown both sides, about 3 minutes. Remove with the chicken and leave the fond in the pot.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add the diced onion, green pepper and celery and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant.
4. Stir in the rice and toast it with the veggies 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes with juices, then add 3 cups low sodium chicken stock, 2 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne (to taste), 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and the 2 bay leaves. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
5. Return the browned chicken and sausage to the pot, bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook undisturbed for about 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice is almost tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Resist stirring a lot or you’ll get mushy rice.
6. Nestle the peeled shrimp into the rice surface, dot with 1 tbsp butter if using, cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes more until the shrimp turn pink and the rice is fully cooked.
7. Remove from heat, fish out and discard the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and cayenne, and add hot sauce if you like it spicy.
8. Let the jambalaya rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff gently with a fork so you don’t break up the shrimp.
9. Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped parsley, serve hot with extra hot sauce on the side.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6 to 8 quart), for browning the chicken and simmering the jambalaya, its where the flavor lives
2. Chef’s knife, sharp enough to dice onion pepper celery and cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces
3. Cutting board, one for meat and one for veg if you want to avoid cross contamination
4. Tongs, for flipping chicken and handling the shrimp without burning your fingers
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, to scrape up the fond and stir gently
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for the rice stock and spices
7. Can opener for the diced tomatoes
8. Plate or mixing bowl to rest the browned chicken and sausage (and keep shrimp separate)
9. Fork or slotted spoon, to fluff the rice gently and to serve
FAQ
Best Jambalaya Recipe For Mardi Gras! Substitutions and Variations
- Andouille sausage: try smoked kielbasa, spicy Spanish chorizo, or turkey smoked sausage. Chorizo brings more heat and oil so brown and drain a bit, turkey sausage is leaner so add a tablespoon of oil while browning.
- Shrimp: swap with peeled crawfish tails, bay scallops, or firm white fish like cod. Scallops and crawfish cook faster, add them in the last 3–5 minutes; fish flakes sooner so fold in gently near the end.
- Long grain white rice: use jasmine for a more fragrant, slightly stickier result, or quick-cook/brown rice if you want whole grain (brown rice needs more liquid and longer simmer time, or par-cook it first). For low-carb, use cauliflower rice and stir in at the end, no extra stock needed.
- Chicken stock: substitute seafood stock for a briny boost, or vegetable stock for a lighter, meat-free jambalaya. If using canned broth or bouillon, taste for salt and reduce added salt, you might need a splash more Cajun seasoning to punch up flavor.
Pro Tips
– Don’t crowd the pot when you brown the chicken and sausage. Do it in batches so you get a real sear and fond on the bottom. That browned stuff is flavor, so scrape it up with the stock or tomatoes when you add liquid.
– Toast the rice with the veggies for just a minute or two, then let it simmer undisturbed. Stirring too much makes mushy rice, so trust the heat and cover it while it cooks.
– Add the shrimp at the very end and watch them closely. They only need a few minutes to turn pink, overcook them and they get rubbery. Let the whole pot rest a few minutes off the heat before fluffing.
– Use low sodium stock and season at the end. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar plus a little butter at the finish lifts the whole dish and makes it taste brighter and smoother.
– This actually tastes better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate in portions, and when reheating add a splash of stock or water so the rice doesnt dry out. Freezes well too if you want make-ahead meals.
Best Jambalaya Recipe For Mardi Gras!
I finally nailed my Classic Jambalaya Recipe with a tiny spice swap and a one-pot trick that creates an unexpected twist in the chicken, sausage, shrimp, and rice.
6
servings
770
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6 to 8 quart), for browning the chicken and simmering the jambalaya, its where the flavor lives
2. Chef’s knife, sharp enough to dice onion pepper celery and cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces
3. Cutting board, one for meat and one for veg if you want to avoid cross contamination
4. Tongs, for flipping chicken and handling the shrimp without burning your fingers
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, to scrape up the fond and stir gently
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for the rice stock and spices
7. Can opener for the diced tomatoes
8. Plate or mixing bowl to rest the browned chicken and sausage (and keep shrimp separate)
9. Fork or slotted spoon, to fluff the rice gently and to serve
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
12 oz Andouille sausage sliced (or smoked kielbasa)
1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1 large yellow onion diced
1 large green bell pepper diced
2 celery stalks diced
4 garlic cloves minced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 green onions sliced for garnish
2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped for garnish
Hot sauce for serving optional
Directions
- Pat the chicken dry, season lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown the chicken in batches until golden, about 4 minutes per side, remove to a plate and set aside. Browning is where the flavor lives, so don't rush it.
- Add the sliced Andouille (or kielbasa) to the hot pot and brown both sides, about 3 minutes. Remove with the chicken and leave the fond in the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the diced onion, green pepper and celery and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the rice and toast it with the veggies 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes with juices, then add 3 cups low sodium chicken stock, 2 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne (to taste), 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and the 2 bay leaves. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Return the browned chicken and sausage to the pot, bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook undisturbed for about 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice is almost tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Resist stirring a lot or you'll get mushy rice.
- Nestle the peeled shrimp into the rice surface, dot with 1 tbsp butter if using, cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes more until the shrimp turn pink and the rice is fully cooked.
- Remove from heat, fish out and discard the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and cayenne, and add hot sauce if you like it spicy.
- Let the jambalaya rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff gently with a fork so you don't break up the shrimp.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped parsley, serve hot with extra hot sauce on the side.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 550g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 770kcal
- Fat: 34.8g
- Saturated Fat: 11.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 6.7g
- Monounsaturated: 13.3g
- Cholesterol: 287mg
- Sodium: 900mg
- Potassium: 914mg
- Carbohydrates: 46.5g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 2.5g
- Protein: 64.8g
- Vitamin A: 1200IU
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Calcium: 67mg
- Iron: 2mg
