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I love a one-pot wonder of a meal, but of all of the recipes I have made, Jambalaya takes the cake! This spicy cajun meal is a delicious blend of rice, onions, peppers, and tomatoes, with chicken, sausage, AND shrimp! With so many layers of flavor, it sounds complicated but it really comes together in under 40 minutes!
Growing up, I loved cajun food. Dirty rice, crawfish, po’ boys, you name it! But jambalaya, to me, is the quintessential, mark of a good cajun chef. And even though I grew up states away from New Orleans, this recipe transports me right to the big easy.
Start With A Flavor Base
This is the perfect dish to whip out that dutch oven! Put it over medium heat and drizzle with a little olive oil. While it is heating up, cube 1lb of boneless skinless chicken. Add to the pot and season with 2 tbsp cajun seasoning, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp smoked paprika.
Sear until it is mostly cooked through, and add in 12 oz of sliced andouille sausage. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, chop 1 white onion, one red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 3 stalks of celery, and 2 garlic cloves. In cajun cooking, the trinity (bell peppers, onions, and celery) is the base for nearly all classic recipes.
Once the andouille gets a little crisp on it, add in your veggies and saute for another 3-5 minutes, or until soft.
One Pot Meal
The beauty of this dish is you just add everything to the pot. No need to set cook and remove and set aside, just keep adding on! Now that you have the protein and trinity cooked, it is time to finish the dish. Take 2 tbsp of tomato paste and add it to the pot. Stir and cook for a minute or two to cook out the raw tomato taste. Pour in 1 14oz can of diced tomatoes and 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock.
Bring it to a boil and stir in 1 1/2 cups of white rice. I used Jasmine, but any long grain rice works. Reduce the heat and cover, letting it simmer for about 20 minutes. Once the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, stir in shrimp and cover for 3-5 minutes. The shrimp will cook very quickly, so it’s key to add them close to the end so they do not get tough.
Sprinkle with green onions and chopped parsley and serve! This is a great, spicy, flavor packed family meal. And the best part is, you don’t need any outrageous or hard to find ingredients to be transported to the cajun capital of the world!
Want More One-Pot Meals?
Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken
- 2 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 12 oz andouille sausage
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 3½ cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups white rice I used jasmine
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- parsley for garnish
- green onion for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add a little oil. Cube chicken and add to the pot. Season with cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook for 4 minutes or until mostly cooked.
- Slice sausage into 1/2 in circles and add to chicken. Cook for 2 minutes and add in celery, onions, peppers, and garlic. Saute for another 3-5 minutes or until the the vegetables soften.
- Add in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
- Add in tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Stir in rice and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add in shrimp and cover for another 3-5 minutes or the shrimp is cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and green onions and serve.
