Cajun Jambalaya is full of andouille sausage, chicken, the holy trinity, and has all of the flavors of an authentic Louisiana recipe! This easy one-pot meal is gluten-free and makes a healthier Cajun dinner or Mardi Gras recipe.
Want a few other easy Cajun recipes? You might also enjoy this Shrimp Creole, Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo, Remoulade Sauce, and this Cauliflower Dirty Rice.
Chicken and Sausage Cajun Jambalaya
Cajun blood runs deep within my veins.
My feet start tapping when a song I know comes on,
the dance floor always calls my name,
summertime means I turn a nice golden brown,
and I am a HUGE fan of Dirty Rice, shrimp, jambalaya, and sausage gumbo.
I grew up in a small town called Orange, Texas — just enough miles within the border of Texas and Louisiana to truly call myself a Texan.
My mom was born and raised about 25 miles outside of New Orleans, Louisiana.
My Nanny and Papa, aunt, uncle and cousins still live in the same little town where she grew up.
Quick and Easy Dinner Recipe
Every year we visit for Christmas. And every Christmas we “Texas-folk” get to experience authentic Cajun cooking.
My Nanny will order in catering from this incredible restaurant down the street and we will all pig out on crawfish etouffee and sausage and chicken jambalaya. It’s truly incredible!!
Now that my husband and I live in the heart of Texas, finding true Cajun food is kind of difficult.
With Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday coming up, I start to crave comfort foods that remind me of home!
Ingredients
While it may initially seem like there are a ton of ingredients, chances are you probably have most of these on hand. Or, you can easily find them at your local grocery store.
- Chicken – One pound of chicken breasts are cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Sausage – Andouille links are cut into bite-sized pieces for a spicy kick.
- Long Grain White Rice – Make sure you use white rice and not brown. Brown rice requires more liquid and will not full cook.
- Cook’s Tip: Make sure you rinse the rice thoroughly under running water for 1 minute before using. This helps to prevent it from clumping together.
- Holy Trinity – A combination of celery, onion, and bell pepper are sauteed together to give this jambalaya it’s base of flavor.
- Seasonings – Fresh garlic, dried basil, thyme, and cayenne pepper are combined to form an authentic Cajun seasoning mix.
- Broth – Regular sodium chicken broth was tested in this recipe. If you are watching your sodium intake you can just reduced sodium broth and adjust the salt to taste.
- Worcestershire Sauce – A secret ingredient that adds an authentic flavor. Don’t leave this out!
- Tomatoes – A combination of canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste are used in this recipe.
How to Make Jambalaya
This recipe is relatively simple to make and so easy to clean up since it’s made in one pot!
Not to mention it makes a TON of food and is great for feeding a crowd.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Cook sausage for 2 minutes in a large Dutch oven. Add chicken cubes and cook until almost cooked through. Remove meat from the pot and set aside.
- Add diced celery, onion, and bell pepper to the pot with olive oil. Saute until vegetables are tender. Add crushed garlic during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking.
- Whisk together seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Add seasonings, tomatoes, and meats into the pot.
- Pour broth into the Dutch oven, scraping the bottom to release any bits that are stuck. Add rice and stir to combine.
- Bring contents to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
- Cover pot with a lid and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until rice is cooked through.
Serving and Storing
How long can I store leftovers?
Leftover jambalaya will last for up to 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 4-6 months in the freezer.
What is the best way to reheat this dish?
Reheating rice dishes can be a bit tricky. The best way to warm up leftover jambalaya is to add it to a large pot or skillet with a bit of oil and a touch of water. Warm it up slowly over medium-low heat until it is heated through.
You can also warm up it up in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish.
Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Jambalaya can easily be made vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and sausage and using vegetable broth. You can choose to add tofu in place of the meat or leave it out completely.
The BEST Gluten-Free Recipe
Here are just a few reasons why this is hands down the BEST dish for your Mardi Gras gathering:
- Need a recipe to feed a crowd? This recipe will make a TON of food!! It is perfect for your upcoming Fat Tuesday gathering or potluck gather.
- It makes great leftovers. Like I said above — you will have a LOT of food. So if you’re not having a party, you and your family can enjoy this easy rice dish for days. Simply add a touch of water or broth before reheating and enjoy
- There are no hard-to-find or gluten-filled seasoning ingredients used. Most Cajun jambalaya recipes call for a seasoning mix such as Tony’s. Unfortunately, most seasoning mixes contain traces of wheat. This recipe teaches you how to mix up your own seasonings so you don’t have to go on a grocery-store-hunt!
What to Serve with It?
Jambalaya is hearty enough that it can absolutely be a meal on its own.
However, if you’d like a few more vegetables, here some side dish ideas to try:
Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado
Honey Oven Roasted Broccoli with Garlic
Sausage & Chicken Cajun Jambalaya
Cajun Jambalaya is full of andouille sausage, chicken, the holy trinity, and has all of the flavors of an authentic Louisiana recipe! This easy one-pot meal is gluten-free and makes a healthier Cajun dinner or Mardi Gras recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil divided
- 1 lb. chicken cut into ½-inch pieces
- 12 oz. andouille link sausage cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 ½ tsp. salt divided
- ¾ tsp. pepper divided
- 2 cups sweet onion finely chopped
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tsp. thyme dried
- 1 tsp. basil dried
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce gluten free
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 ½ cups long grain white rice rinsed and drained
- 4 ½ - 5 cups chicken broth
- Fresh parsley finely chopped
- See this recipe in Meal Plan #7
Instructions
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In a large pot, or Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon oil and sausage. Cook for 2 minutes.
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Add chicken and continue cooking over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until it is cooked through.
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Remove meat from the pot and set aside.
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Drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil into the Dutch oven and then add onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables are almost tender. Add garlic and saute for an additional 2 minutes.
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Place chicken and sausage back into the pot.
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In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, thyme, basil and cayenne pepper. Toss to combine.
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Add seasoning mix, Worcestershire, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes to the meat and veggies. Stir to combine.
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Next, place rice and 4 ½ cup broth in the pot. Stir to completely combine.
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Bring contents to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer for 30-40 minutes.
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Check on the jambalaya at 25 minutes and see if it needs additional liquid. If you have a pot that burns, this would be a good time to give the bottom of your pot a stir to loosen up any potentially dried rice.
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Once rice is completely cooked, serve immediately with fresh parsley and enjoy! See this recipe in Meal Plan #7
Simple Syrup
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Katie says
I made this last night and LOVED it! What is the best way to reheat leftovers?
London says
Yay!! So happy you loved it. For rice, I normally put it back in a skillet with more liquid (water or broth) and reheat it slowly. Microwaving will also work well with this recipe if you put a little extra liquid and cover it with a paper towel.
Anonymous says
Another method used a lot in Lousiana is to put the leftovers in a gallon ziplock and get water to a boil and drop the ziplock in. Heats it without destroying it 🙂
London says
Oh that’s great to know!! Thanks for the tip 🙂
Ari Clare Bellinger says
Absolutely fantastic! I added shrimp while it simmered to give it more of an Cajun feel. Will make again!
London says
Awesome!! I love the addition of shrimp… definitely gives it a more Cajun feel 🙂
Anthony says
Wouldn’t the chicken be way overcooked if you leave the chicken in the pot while the rice is simmering for 25 minutes? My chicken is hard like a rock. Am I doing this wrong?
London says
I’m so sorry your chicken turned out hard! The chicken should absorb a lot of the liquid while cooking so it is not overcooked/hard. A couple of things I would make sure to do if you try it out again: 1) Err on the side of slightly undercooked chicken at the beginning. 2) If you’re using brown rice instead of white, it takes more liquid to cook. 3) Cut your chicken into slightly bigger cubes. 4) Make sure a lot of the chicken is not stuck to the bottom of the pan while simmering but is pretty evenly dispersed throughout the dish. Please let me know if you have any more questions! I will be making a video for this recipe soon so I will be sure to pay attention to the texture of the chicken and make any alterations to the recipe, as needed!
Anthony says
I made this dish again today and it came out great. Instead of chicken breast, I used chicken thigh and I put the chicken into the pot 10 minutes after I put in the rice to prevent the chicken from being overcooked too much. And I also didn’t cook the vegetables all the way. I like my veggie slightly crunchy and not soggy. Thanks for sharing your recipe. My family loves it. I think your recipe stands out against the competition because the tomato paste adds more flavor to the rice. I can’t tell if the worcestershire sauce makes any difference though. Great dish. Thanks again.
London says
Awesome!! So happy it turned out well for you this time. Chicken thigh will definitely give the dish a lot more flavor, too. Thanks for sharing your alterations to the recipe!
Jen says
Do I use precooked sausage or fresh?
London says
Hi Jen! I usede pre-cooked sausage, such as Aidell’s Cajun sausage. Thanks for the question!
René says
Í did this dish for lunch today to surprise my wife. She went “deliciosisimo”!
It is a really nice plate, ingridients are not complicated. We will be making this again soon. Thanks for sharing!
London says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Rene! I am so happy your wife enjoyed it 🙂
Sara says
Used brown rice and chicken suasage to make it a little more healthy and it was absoutely delicious!!
London says
So happy you enjoyed it, Sara!!
Tia says
Hi!
Thanks so much for posting this recipe. Both husband and I wanted something different and home cooked. Decided on jambalaya and choose this recipe to try over several others because the picture looked so good and the ingredients weren’t overly complicated. It’s delicious! Definitely one to add to our favorite recipe collection. I’m trying to add more veggies to my diet and wondered what kind of beans would you recommend? I bought a can of small red beans from Goya but I’m not sure if their flavor would go well with this.
Thanks!
-Tia
London says
Hi Tia!! I am so happy you and your husband enjoyed it. Another popular “Cajun” dish, and probably my mom’s favorite, is red beans and rice… so I think red beans would go great in the jambalaya! For more veggies, you could also add more bell pepper. Hope this helps. Thanks so much for commenting!
Ryan says
Hi, do I need to use a lid while it’s simmering? Thanks so much!
London says
Thanks so much for your question, Ryan! Yes, you will want to cover the pot with a lid while simmering. I have updated the recipe to include this 🙂
Ironmom says
I coarsley chopped squash, zucchini and mushrooms and sautéed them with the peppers and onions. It was so good!
London says
I love how you added extra veggies to up the nutrition in this recipe. Will definitely be trying your alteration soon 🙂
Katy says
Do you happen to have the nutritional info for a serving size of this? Looking to make this tonight, looks amazing!
London says
Hi Katy! I do not have the nutritional info for this recipe, but if you plug in the ingredients on MyFitnessPal’s recipe calculator you should be able to get the information. I am considering including nutritional info in upcoming recipes. Thanks so much for your comment!
Erin says
I made this last Sunday for friends and everyone raved about it! I’m making it again tonight for a potluck. Thanks for sharing!
London says
Yay!! So happy you and your friends enjoyed it 🙂 Thanks for your sweet comment!
Ellen says
Where does the Worcestershire sauce come in? It is not in the instructions.
London says
Hi Ellen! It goes in with the tomato paste and seasoning mix. Just updated the recipe to reflect this!
Nancy says
Step 7