When I’m craving some real Cajun comfort food, I whip up this flavor-packed, one-pot chicken jambalaya recipe! The holy trinity of Cajun cooking–onion, celery, and bell peppers–is married up with chicken and andouille sausage, then seasoned with garlic, herbs, and plenty of bold spices. My chicken and sausage jambalaya is truly anything but bland!
Living in St. Louis, I’ve had my fair share of delicious Creole and Cajun cuisine! This easy jambalaya recipe with chicken, Andouille sausage, rice, and Cajun seasoning has all the flavor you’d expect from an authentic recipe. But I made this dish with just one pot and 40 minutes, so that I can cook it whenever I’m craving it, even on weeknights!
What’s in Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya?
With ingredients like Cajun seasoning and garlic, you know this easy jambalaya is bound to make your mouth water!
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best, but thigh meat can be used too. Make sure to cut your chicken into bite-size pieces for even cooking.
- Andouille Sausage: This smoked pork sausage is ideal for Cajun dishes.
- Cajun Seasoning: This is a mix of peppers, paprika, garlic and onion powders, and sometimes other herbs & spices (like cumin, oregano, etc.). Use your favorite mix!
- Onion: Use white or yellow onions, diced.
- Celery: This adds texture along with the sautéed onion and pepper mix.
- Bell Peppers: Use red, green, orange, or yellow peppers, depending on your preference. I use a mix of red and green.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the boldest flavor. Pre-minced or flakes are much less flavorful.
- Crushed Tomatoes: A can of tomatoes is the most convenient, though you can crush or dice fresh tomatoes if you have time.
- Dried Oregano: This gives the best herbaceous note. A little goes a long way!
- Chicken Broth: This is the main source of liquid for cooking the rice.
- White Rice: A long-grain white rice is best for this jambalaya recipe–use basmati or jasmine. A different type of rice may end up mushy or under-cooked.
Is chicken jambalaya spicy?
This sausage chicken jambalaya recipe is not a particularly hot dish. The Cajun seasoning adds a nice heat, but it won’t burn off your taste buds! For a spicier jambalaya, I add one or two jalapeños. You can also add more cayenne at the end if you’d like.
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How to Store and Reheat
Let the jambalaya fully cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheat on the stovetop with a bit of extra oil or broth, stirring until warmed through. Or microwave your leftovers in 30 second intervals, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.
How to Freeze
Freeze chicken and sausage jambalaya in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw before reheating.
Notes and Tips
- Unlike stews and chilis, jambalaya does not get better the longer it simmers. It is possible (and very common) to overcook and dry it out. We want the rice to be soft and fluffy, but not gummy or mushy; and we certainly don’t want to dry out the chicken; so stick to the cooking time as instructed.
- When cooking rice dishes like this chicken jambalaya, you want to keep the pot covered for the full cook time. Try not to remove the lid and check too often because the liquid will escape, and the rice needs it in order to properly cook.
Top Reader Reviews
- “Amazingly delicious! My wife & I have been cooking cajun jambalaya for years & today we decided to try a new recipe. This one beats all previous recipes hands down! Will add to our weekly/monthly family menu!” – Glen
- “Delicious recipe! I made it today! My family already requested to make it again! Very easy to make and very tasty! Thank you so much for sharing it!” – Eliana
Easy Chicken Jambalaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound Andouille sausage sliced into rounds
- ½ onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup white rice
Instructions
- Season the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Heat another tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add in the sausage, cooking until browned. Transfer the sausage to the plate with the chicken.3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound Andouille sausage
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add in the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened.3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ onion, 2 stalks celery, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper
- Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, oregano, chicken broth, and rice. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice has cooked and the liquid has absorbed.2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup white rice
- Stir in the chicken and sausage and cook until everything is heated through.
- Give the jambalaya a good stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
How to Make Chicken Jambalaya Step by Step
Season the Chicken: Season 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces, with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning.
Brown the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the Cajun chicken pieces to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Then transfer the chicken to a plate.
Brown the Sausage: Heat another tablespoon of cooking oil in the same skillet. Then add 1 pound of Andouille sausage slices into rounds, and cook until browned. Then transfer the sausage to the plate with the chicken.
Sauté the Veggies: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Add ½ of a diced onion, 2 stalks of diced celery, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1 diced green bell pepper. Then season with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté until the veggies are softened.
Add the Garlic: Add 2 minced cloves of garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the Rest of the Ingredients: Stir in 1 can of crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 cup of white rice.
Simmer: Bring the jambalaya to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has cooked through and the liquid has absorbed.
Add the Chicken and Sausage: Stir the browned chicken and sausage into the jambalaya mixture, then continue cooking until everything is heated through.
Serve: Give the finished chicken jambalaya a good stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Jambalaya is a popular Louisiana-origin dish of Spanish, French, and West African influence, consisting mainly of meat and vegetables mixed with rice. Traditionally, the meat always includes sausage of some sort, often a smoked meat such as andouille, along with pork or chicken and seafood, such as crawfish or shrimp.
Cajun seasoning is a bold blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne powder, salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
You have a few options! Mexican chorizo sausage (comes close to andouille in flavour, but not in texture) works well. You can also opt for kielbasa or any Polish smoked sausage if preferred.
The main difference is that gumbo is more of a stew that is served over rice that has been cooked separately; while jambalaya is a rice dish, so everything is cooked in the pot with rice.
This was absolutely delicious! Told a friend about it and she wanted to try until she heard about the tomatoes (deathly allergic). Any recommendations as to what might be a good substitute for that ingredient? I’m a recipe cooker, so really don’t venture out enough to know what might would work. Thanks!
Hi Meghan, there’s a product called “Nomato” that approximates the flavor of tomato but is made from other veggies. We think this would be a great substitute! She could also add more red peppers and some diced tomatoes for sweetness and leave out the tomatoes altogether.
Love it, made it a few times now