Cajun Jambalaya Recipe (One-Pot)

I love this Cajun jambalaya for bringing bold Louisiana flavors to the table in one pot: smoky andouille sausage, tender chicken, and the classic "holy trinity" with perfectly seasoned rice.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Jambalaya is one of my absolute favorite rice dishes. There's something about the combination of the andouille sausage, tender chicken pieces, and perfectly seasoned rice. It took me a while to get this recipe just how I wanted it, but once I got it, oh my gosh, I couldn't stop making it this way.

You'll find many jambalaya recipes that include tomatoes, but this one does not. This version is more commonly known as Cajun-style or "brown" jambalaya, and it's my preferred way to enjoy it. Without the tomatoes, I find that the flavors of the sausage and the chicken really come through.

This rice also freezes wonderfully. It's perfect for meal prep, too. If you like Southern rice dishes, you gotta try my dirty rice.

Love, Tanya

A QUICK LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Andouille sausage - I prefer Ragin' Cajun Andouille for its smoky, spicy flavor, which is essential to jambalaya. Use any andouille sausage you like.
• Chicken thighs - Boneless, skinless thighs stay tender and juicy even with longer cooking times.
• Onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic - This classic Louisiana base builds the foundation of flavor. Don't skip the garlic either.
• Parboiled rice - I use parboiled rice because it doesn't get mushy and holds up beautifully in one-pot dishes, staying firm and fluffy with grains that separate easily. Long-grain white rice works too, but it just won't be as sturdy and may be slightly mushy. It'll be fine if that's what you got, but for more separated grains, use the parboiled rice.
• Cajun seasoning - Your favorite brand works. I like Dan-O's Cajun seasoning for this dish, or you can use a homemade Cajun seasoning blend.
• Bay leaves, thyme, and cayenne - These add layers of aromatic depth and heat.
• Chicken broth - Use good-quality broth.
• Green onions and hot sauce - Mainly for garnish.

Suggested Tool

Mercer Culinary Enameled Cast Iron Round Dutch Oven, 6 qt., Matte Black

I suggest using a heavy-bottom pot with a tight-fitting lid when making this jambalaya on the stovetop. You will be browning a lot of meat, and a heavy pot distributes heat evenly to prevent burning and sticking while the lid traps steam to cook the rice properly.

Buy Now

HOW TO MAKE JAMBALAYA

Step 1: Season chicken thighs with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat, brown the sausage slices until they develop some color and release their fat, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Step 2: In the same pot, brown the chicken pieces in the sausage fat until lightly browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pot and then remove excess fat, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons in the pot.

Step 3: Add the diced onion, bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic to the pot along with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as the vegetables cook. Cook until the vegetables soften and start to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes, lightly.

Step 4: Stir in the rice, coating it with the vegetables and that flavorful fat. Add the Cajun seasoning, thyme, and cayenne pepper, stirring to distribute them through the rice evenly.

Step 5: Pour in the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth. Return the browned sausage and chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Stir everything well and nestle the bay leaves on top. Bring to a boil.

Step 6: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and simmer for 22 minutes without lifting the lid.

Step 7: After 22 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and let it stand, still covered, for 5 minutes. This resting time enables the rice to finish cooking with residual heat. Then, open the lid, remove the bay leaves, and fluff the rice with a fork.

Step 8: Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with hot sauce on the side.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Jambalaya is a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with Classic Southern Cornbread or Easy Cornbread Muffins. A simple green salad or Southern Cucumber Salad on the side adds a fresh, crisp contrast to the rich, spicy rice.

And don't forget the hot sauce. Louisiana-style hot sauce works well with this dish if you're a fan of some extra spice.

MAKE AHEAD AND STORAGE

• Storage: Store leftover jambalaya in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors actually meld and deepen overnight, so it tastes even better the next day.
• Freezing: Jambalaya freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags. It'll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth to loosen it up, or microwave individual portions with a damp paper towel on top to keep it from drying out.

A LITTLE HISTORY OF JAMBALAYA

One thing I learned during my research is that jambalaya is influenced by Spanish paella. When I discovered that connection, I was overjoyed because I also love paella. In Louisiana, rice dishes, like Spanish paella, were adapted to local ingredients and blended with French and West African influences, and over time, jambalaya was born.

Now, jambalaya comes in two main styles. Creole jambalaya (often called "red jambalaya") includes tomatoes and is what you'll find in New Orleans and other urban areas. Cajun jambalaya (often called "brown jambalaya") skips the tomatoes entirely and comes from the rural bayous and small towns of south Louisiana. This recipe is Cajun-style—no tomatoes, just deep, rich flavor from browning the meat and building layers of seasoning.

RELATED RECIPES

I hope you love this jambalaya recipe as much as we do. If you're looking for more one-pot meals and Southern comfort food, try these out:

• One-Pot Jerk Chicken and Rice - Caribbean flavors in an easy one-pot meal
• Ground Chicken and Rice - this is my creative take on a Caribbean version of dirty rice. It's fun and delicious.
• Dirty rice - I use chicken livers in my recipe, as I find they give it a more authentic taste than the traditional dirty rice I am familiar with.

If you have tried this or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

Tanya Harris

Jambalaya Recipe

No ratings yet

This Cajun jambalaya brings bold Louisiana flavors to your table, with smoky andouille sausage, tender chicken thighs, and the classic holy trinity of vegetables, all in a perfectly seasoned one-pot rice dish.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6 people

Course: entree

Cuisine: American, Cajun

Calories: 766

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound andouille sausage sliced into ½-inch rounds
• 1 ½ cups diced yellow onion about 1 large onion
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper 1 medium pepper
• 1 cup diced celery about 2 stalks
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups parboiled rice or long-grain white rice
• 4 cups chicken broth divided
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to taste
• ½ cup sliced green onions
• Hot sauce to taste

Instructions

 

1. Season chicken thighs with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat, brown the sausage slices until they develop color and release their fat, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, brown the chicken pieces in the sausage fat until lightly browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside with the sausage. Remove excess fat, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons in the pot.
3. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic to the pot along with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as the vegetables cook. Cook until the vegetables soften and start to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes, lightly.
4. Stir in rice, coating it with the vegetables. Add Cajun seasoning, thyme, and cayenne pepper.
5. Pour in the remaining chicken broth. Return sausage and chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Stir well and top with bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
6. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 22 minutes without lifting the lid.
7. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Open the lid, remove bay leaves, and fluff with a fork.
8. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with hot sauce on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 766kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 39gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 179mgSodium: 1694mgPotassium: 827mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1602IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 3mg

Notes

• This recipe uses parboiled rice because it doesn't get mushy and holds up well in one-pot dishes. Long-grain white rice works too, but it just won't be as firm and fluffy.
• Jambalaya tastes even better the next day, as the flavors meld. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!