Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya (One Pot)

This chicken and sausage jambalaya is a delicious one pot meal that is perfect for Mardi Gras, or any time of year!

When I was in high school my friend’s parents took a few of us to Mardi Gras in Mobile, AL. Mardi Gras actually started down in Mobile, which a lot of people don’t know. And it is slightly tamer than the New Orleans version. Perfect for a group of high schoolers like us at that time! We had so much fun!

We went to a couple parades, but what I remember was a buffet they took us to. It was amazing! There was all kinds of food. Pastries, desserts, seafood and even an omelette station. There were ice sculptures, butter sculptures, and just a whole bunch of cool things to taste and see.

I grew up eating a lot of cajun food too – see my red beans and rice recipes for that! I have two versions: Instant Pot red beans and rice and slow cooker red beans and rice. Side note: My mom also has some great gumbo recipes, and a shrimp creole she made when we were growing up. I need to add those to the blogging recipe to-do’s. YUM! 😋

Seeing as how food is a big part of Mardi Gras and cajun culture, I thought I’d celebrate it with this chicken and sausage jambalaya recipe.

How to add shrimp

You can modify this recipe and add shrimp if you want to. My son doesn’t love shrimp, though. And I am pretty picky about the quality of my shrimp. So we usually make it with just chicken and sausage, and MAN is it delicious!

If you want to add some peeled and de-veined shrimp, just season it up with salt, pepper and cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning). Then add it at the end – around the last five minutes or so, depending on the size of you shrimp.

What type of sausage?

In this batch I used the chicken andouille sausage from Trader Joe’s. It has great flavor that seasons the whole dish, along with a couple other herbs that I add in. It is moderately spicy too, FYI.

The level of spice and flavor will vary a little, based on what brand of sausage you use. I have made this with Amy Lu’s and Aidelle’s andouille sausages as well, and they are both flavorful and delicious.

If you use an uncooked variety, just brown it up first, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon, and continue on with the original recipe as written. This includes adding the (now cooked) andouille sausage back to the pot.

Adjusting seasoning to chicken and sausage jambalaya

But always taste the jambalaya at the end before you serve it to see if it needs more salt, or even a dash of hot sauce. I always say…you can always add more, but you can’t take it back out. So keep that in mind.

We really enjoy this in our family! I hope you do too!

And my friend Allison and her parents, Mr. Al and Mrs. Judy – if you are reading this, thank you for taking us to Mardi Gras all those years ago. Sweet memories!💖

Tools Used to Make Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

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• I used my enameled cast iron Dutch oven. You could also use a large multipurpose pot like this one.
• A sharp knife and cutting board to cut up all the veggies
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe

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Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

This chicken and sausage jambalaya is a delicious one pot meal that is perfect for Mardi Gras, or any time of year! 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cajun

Keyword chicken sausage jambalaya, jambalaya

Prep Time 18 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 372 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

• 1.5 Tablespoons oil (I used avocado)
• 1 pound raw chicken thighs, boneless & skinless, diced
• creole seasoning to taste - I am using Tony Chachere's original creole seasoning. (1.5 tsp for the chicken)
• 1 pound chicken andouille sausage, sliced (I am using Trader Joe's chicken andouille sausage)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, any color, diced (or 3 cups tri-color pre-diced peppers)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme leaves)
• 1 leaf bay
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp Optional: hot sauce (or more to taste - you can wait and add this at the end if you want to taste first!)
• 1.5 cups jasmine rice, rinse and drained
• chopped fresh parsley or green onion (optional garnish)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper and cajun seasoning.

2. Brown the chicken thighs for about 4 to 5 minutes, until most of the pinkness is gone.

3. Add the onions, celery and peppers, and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, garlic, bay, thyme and andouille sausage, and cook another 1.5 minutes

5. Add stock, hot sauce and rice (rinsed and drained - do not skip!), crushed tomatoes and stir, scraping any bits off the bottom.

6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer covered until most of the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes), stirring frequently.

7. Turn OFF the heat, stir, recover, and let it sit for about another 8 to 10 minutes.

8. Remove the bay. Taste to see if you want to add more seasoning (hot sauce, salt, pepper, etc.)

9. Garnish with sliced green onions, parsley, hot sauce, etc.

10. Serve immediately. 

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Amount Per Serving

Calories 372 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 96mg32%

Sodium 770mg33%

Potassium 355mg10%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 370IU7%

Vitamin C 25.6mg31%

Calcium 27mg3%

Iron 1.6mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: This recipe originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy February 12, 2017.