Name: The Best Jambalaya Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces; 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced; 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice; 2 tsp Cajun seasoning; 1/2 tsp dried thyme; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; Salt and black pepper, to taste; 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish); Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Let Me Tell You Why I Keep Making Jambalaya

Okay, buddy—pull up a chair. So, jambalaya is one of those things I accidentally fell in love with. Years ago, I actually thought it was too much work (true story), but then I made it for a New Year’s potluck—mainly because my cousin was on a shrimp kick—and the whole pot got inhaled. For a moment, I was suspicious my own family had disguised themselves as speed eaters just to impress me. Turns out, it really is that good.

Oh, and one time I tried to double the hot sauce—let’s just say, not everyone at the table appreciated that experiment. (My dad still reminds me of it every reunion.)

So, Why Do I Keep Coming Back to This?

I bust this out whenever people are coming over—especially the ones who think all I make is chicken and rice. My family always goes bonkers for this because, honestly, something about it smells like you’re about to eat better than royalty. And here’s the thing: even when I mess up a step (which happens), it still lands pretty darn tasty. There was a phase where my kid wouldn’t eat “spicy stuff”—so I’d swap out andouille for just any sausage I could find (I’m looking at you, supermarket “smoked links”). Worked just fine.

What Goes Into This Pot? (Ingredients)

2 tablespoons olive oil (but vegetable oil works; Grandma swore by bacon grease, go figure)
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced (I sometimes grab kielbasa if andouille’s all gone, nobody’s noticed yet)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped (breasts are okay if you’re not a thigh person, or honestly, rotisserie chicken gets it done in a pinch)
1 large onion, chopped (red, yellow, or whatever looked decent at the store)
1 green bell pepper, chopped (sometimes I throw in a red one too for color, real fancy)
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (well, sometimes I just use that pre-minced stuff—don’t judge me!)
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, juice and all
2 cups chicken broth (I use the low-sodium box stuff except when I forget, then it’s the bouillon cubes)
1 cup long grain rice (jasmine’s fine, but nothing too sticky)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (or, honest truth, whatever random Creole spice was on sale)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf (I know some folks skip it, but I always feel it’s missing when I do)
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (sometimes I skip shrimp if budget’s tight, nobody’s cried yet)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped parsley and green onions, for sprinkling on top (if you’ve got ’em; I forget half the time!)

How I Actually Make It (Directions)

1. Get your biggest, heaviest pot. Dutch oven’s ideal. If all you’ve got is a plain pot, that’s fine too—just keep an eye so nothing scorches on the bottom.

2. Splash in your oil, medium-high heat. Brown your sausage for about 3-4 minutes—till it looks kinda crisp at the edges. Scoop it out and set it aside.

3. In the same glory of sausage flavor, toss in the chicken pieces, season lightly with salt and pepper, and brown them a bit. Don’t fret if they’re not completely cooked through at this point. They’ll finish later, promise. Take them out and set with the sausage (if your plate’s looking overcrowded, just pile it up, nobody minds here).

4. Now add the chopped onion, bell peppers, and celery—the holy trinity, as my former neighbor Miss Charlene used to say. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, scraping up all the tasty browned bits from the bottom. This is where I usually sneak a bite of sausage if nobody’s looking.

5. Garlic in. Stir for a minute or so—don’t let it burn or everyone in the house will ask, “what’s that smell?”

6. Pour in tomatoes with their juice, chicken broth, rice, Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf. Everything in except for the cooked chicken, sausage, and shrimp. Give it a good stir.

7. Bring all that up to a gentle simmer. Chopsticks optional, but I like to swirl the rice around so it doesn’t clump.

8. Pop a lid on (or a big plate if you, like me once, can’t find a lid). Let it simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring every so often. If it looks like a swamp, don’t panic—this is what mine always looks like mid-way.

9. Toss the chicken and sausage back in. Simmer another 5 minutes. Now taste it—needs more salt? Or is it a spice bomb? You can adjust here. This is when I wish my tastebuds could talk back.

10. Lastly, add your shrimp. They only need 3-5 minutes—just enough to turn pink and opaque. Overcook and, well, you get rubber bands. Stir, sprinkle with parsley and green onion. Done!

Some Notes That Might Save You a Headache

– If you leave the rice too long, it can start sticking on the bottom. I did this once while helping my daughter with math homework, and wow, burnt jambalaya is not the vibe.
– Actually, I find it works better if you don’t crowd the pan with too much meat all at once—I’m still learning patience here.
– You can absolutely leave out chicken or shrimp if you must—I’ve had to improvise more than I’d like to admit.

How I’ve Mixed It Up (and Sometimes Failed)

– I once swapped out the rice for quinoa—not my brightest idea; my husband still side-eyes me whenever he sees quinoa on the counter.
– Sometimes I throw in okra (heard it helps thicken things, but not everyone at my table is a fan)
– If I’m feeling wild or stocking up for the apocalypse, I throw in some leftover roast pork. It doesn’t always “go,” but it’s never been wasted.

Do You Really Need Fancy Tools?

Look, I love my Dutch oven but used to just make do with a battered stock pot and it came out just fine. If your lid’s missing, a big plate or even a baking sheet works. My wooden spoon’s seen better days but honestly, I’d rather not replace it—it fits my hand now.

How To Store (Or, Try To!)

Technically you can cool leftovers, fridge ’em in a sealed container for up to 3 days. But honestly, it almost never lasts more than a day in our house—somehow it vanishes overnight, probably due to invisible midnight snackers (myself included).

If by some miracle, you do have leftovers, jambalaya makes a killer next-day lunch—possibly even better, but I’m biased.

Serving: Here’s How We Roll

Some folks like to serve it with hot sauce on the side; my uncle claims it’s against the rules to eat it without a chunk of crusty bread. My personal thing? I like a little splatter of extra green onion and a few dashes of Tabasco. When feeling fancy, maybe a salad, but who am I kidding? That rarely happens on a busy night.

Things I’ve Messed Up (And Learned)

– Once, I tried to crank up the heat to get dinner on the table sooner. Bad idea: rice burned, shrimp were sad
– I’ve attempted to avoid stirring so I could “multi-task”—nope, rice stuck like wallpaper paste
– Actually, I find a gentle simmer is your friend, not a big boil

People Usually Ask Me…

Q: Can I make it vegetarian?
Yeah, for sure. Use veggie broth, skip the meat, and add some mushrooms or whatever’s lurking in your veg drawer. Tastes different but still hits the spot.

Q: Why is my rice crunchy?
Ah! I’ve been there. Usually, it’s not enough liquid or it wasn’t covered tightly while simmering. Or I got distracted by my phone (guilty). Add a bit more broth, let it go a few extra minutes.

Q: Can I freeze this?
Well, kind of. It freezes, but sometimes the shrimp gets rubbery after thawing. Best to eat fresh, but in a pinch, it’ll do for an emergency meal.

Q: Do I have to use andouille sausage?
Nope. I’ve swapped in chorizo, smoked sausage, or even just plain breakfast links. Each version’s got its own thing going on—the world doesn’t end!

Q: Is it really spicy?
It’s got a kick (I like it that way), but you can dial it up or back depending who you’re cooking for. Kids at my table? I go easy and put hot sauce nearby for the daredevils.

Right, that’s about it—if you’re still here and hungry, just get cooking. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll sit around yapping about it till someone else starts dinner for you. Either way, hope your kitchen ends up smelling as awesome as mine does whenever this is bubbling on the stove.

The Best Jambalaya Recipe