Jambalaya Recipe
Published October 26, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Learn how to make this authentic Creole jambalaya recipe that is jam-packed with chicken, shrimp, and andouille sausage. You will be blown away at how simple this is to prepare and the amazing flavors that it has.
Southern fare is one of my all-time favorite cuisines. It is comfort food at its finest. If you are looking to explore some classic recipes from this region of the US, then you must try Shrimp and Grits or Hoppin’ John.
Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a versatile dish that consists of cooked rice with other ingredients including tomatoes, onions, and peppers, with protein such as chicken or shrimp. You can use other meats like beef, pork, or other shellfish as well. This dish will absolutely vary depending on who is cooking it. The name supposedly comes from the French word jambon, which means ham, which was the main ingredient in the original jambalayas.
Cajun Vs Creole Jambalaya
The main difference between Cajun and Creole Jambalaya is that creole uses tomatoes while Cajun does not. The Cajun version tends to be browner as the meat is caramelized with the trinity before adding the rice and stock.
My version is creole as it uses fresh tomatoes, and the protein is cooked in the stock. However, I do spend some time caramelizing the onions as I believe this will help bring out wonderful flavors in the jambalaya.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Spices and Seasonings – I use my tasty Cajun seasoning recipe. However, you can use your favorite pre-made or store-bought seasoning blend.
- Bacon – Use some good smoked bacon which you will use in the recipe as well as the rendered fat to sauté in.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter in your cooking and baking so you control the salt content.
- Onions – You can use white, sweet, or yellow onions in this.
- Celery – A few ribs of celery are an important part of the Trinity.
- Peppers – I like to use a combination of red and green bell peppers. You can additionally use yellow or orange.
- Tomatoes – Vine-ripe or Roma tomatoes are great to use in this.
- Sausage – Andouille sausage is what you will need. You can substitute but it will take the authenticity away from this dish.
- Chicken – thighs, and drums are what should be used, but you can use breast meat.
- Stock – Use good chicken stock or vegetable stock in this jambalaya.
- Shrimp – I like to use 16/20 shrimp, but any size shrimp will work for this.
- Rice – Long-grain rice is what should be used.
How to Make Jambalaya
Make your Cajun spice blend and set it to the side.
In a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat add in the bacon and cook until the lardons are crispy. set them aside.
Add the butter to the pot over low to medium heat and cook the onions until they are browned, which takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
Once the onions are brown add in the cooked bacon, celery, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and 2 teaspoons of the spice blend.
Stir and sauté the vegetables over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until the outside edges of the veggies start to turn light brown.
Next, add in the sausage and chicken and stir over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes to coat it.
Add a lid to the pot and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes over low to medium heat or until the chicken is cooked through.
Pour in the chicken stock, rice, shrimp, and 2 more teaspoons of the spice blend.
Stir and cover and cook over low heat for 15 to 18 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Serve with optional garnishes of chopped fresh thyme, parsley, and green onions
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This Jambalaya is meant to be served and eaten as soon as it is done cooking.
How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can cover and freeze this for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and serving.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of jambalaya to a medium-sized saucepot with a ¼ to ½ cup of chicken stock. Heat while constantly stirring over low to medium heat until warm.
Chef Notes + Tips
- If you are out of season, feel free to substitute the 4 tomatoes for 4 individual whole peeled tomatoes that are canned.
- You can use thawed frozen shrimp in this recipe.
More Southern Recipes
Video
Jambalaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 strips of chopped bacon
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 peeled and small diced sweet onions
- 6 small diced stalks of celery
- 1 each seeded and small diced red and green bell pepper
- 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 4 slices vine ripe tomatoes
- 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning recipe
- 4 slices andouille sausage links
- 3 each sliced chicken thighs and tenders
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 1/2 cups long grain rice
- 1 pound peeled, deveined and diced shrimp
- optional garnish: chopped parsley, green onions, and thyme
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat add in the bacon and cook until the lardons are crispy. set them aside.
- Add the butter to the pot over low to medium heat and cook the onions until they are browned, which takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Once the onions are brown, add in the cooked bacon, celery, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and 2 teaspoons of the spice blend.
- Stir and sauté the vegetables over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until the outside edges of the veggies start to turn light brown.
- Next, add in the sausage and chicken and stir over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes to coat it.
- Add a lid to the pot and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes over low to medium heat or until the chicken is cooked.
- Pour in the chicken stock, rice, shrimp, and 2 more teaspoons of the spice blend.
- Stir and cover and cook over low heat for 15 to 18 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper or more Cajun seasoning.
- Serve with optional garnishes of chopped fresh thyme, parsley, and green onions
Delicioso!
Excellent!
Made this for dinner last night. My grandson and his girlfriend came. They, as well as my husband had never had Jambalaya, I had and hoped they would like it. Wow, did they ever. All absolutely loved it. Great recipe. Used sliced turkey sausage as I knew no one liked the sausage called for. Will be making this again for sure. Love hot spicy food. Thanks for another great recipe.
So glad you all enjoyed it! Thank you for giving it a try!
Outstanding recipe! Will make this one again for company! I am also going to try your chicken tinga for those same guests. Can’t wait. Everyone of your recipes Chef Parisi is a winner!!! Thank you for sharing your love and joy in cooking with us!
Awesome! Thank you for giving the recipe a try!
Outrageously good! I had fresh garden peppers and tomatoes, a plus, but as I try to use what I had on hand, I substituted chorizo for andouille (Cajun blasphemy, I know!) and threw in leftover cooked chicken…..and it still came out great! What I love most about Chef Parisi’s’s recipes that they truly do Elevate The every day. I use his techniques in my every day cooking, and everything goes up a notch. Every day cooking means no special trips to the grocery store, If I forgot some thing or don’t have it on hand… and I can substitute with confidence. Thank you, Chef Billy!
My pleasure. Appreciate you giving it a try!
One of our favorite recipes from you Chef Billy….completely off the chain great!!!
Made this today. It was fantastic. Thanks Chef.
Amazing!
Outstanding recipe. Thanks Chef for taking the mystery out of this.
Loved this Jambalaya Recipe and so dod my friends.
Thank you ChefBilly fabulous recipe 😁😋👋
Thank you Chef Billy so tasty is your Recipe 😁😋👋
Simply Delicious 😋
Love it!
Can’t decide which one I like better your Jamayla, or your Gumbo recipe, they are both great.
Simply the best jambalaya! So easy, delicious and a crowd pleaser.
many thanks!
Excellent. My personal tastes prefer that I gently sautés the chicken before adding, and I found that the cut up shrimp was overdone, so I leave them whole. Thanks for a great dinner Chef! Cheers!
Simply delicious!! Everything I was looking for in a tasty Jambalaya. Chef Billy, you do not disappoint.
Great recipe, everyone loves it!
great!
Loved the step by step instructions! My family loves this! I have made it several times and will never use a box mix for jambalaya again! Thank you Chef Billy!
My pleasure!
The first time I made jambalaya, it was out of a box. The second time I used some other recipe I found on the internet. The third time I did it as one of your commis, and my wife and daughter loved it! Definitely pulling this one out to serve guests.
fantastic!
Just when I was wondering what to do with andouille….up pops this recipe. Delicious!! Just the right blend of spices!
Fantastic and worth the effort. We all loved this dish!
Excellent recipe
Billy’s recipes are easy to follow and, if I can do them successfully, anyone can.
Keep them coming
John
Age 74
Started cooking 5 years ago
I find that the rice needs to cook longer that the specified time. Regardless, it is delicious!
This is a family favorite. I make it often!
Hey Billy,
I had never made jambalaya in my life but, have family members who don’t care for tomatoes. Sooo, wanna know how to eff this recipe up real good. Yeah, you guessed it, eliminate the tomatoes & don’t add any extra broth or liquid of any kind…
I’m naming it crunchy rice jambalaya! 🤣
You can follow me for future culinary disasters!
Peace Brother
Dan! Yeah, you need those tomatoes to help with the rice.
Fantastic recipe! Loaded with flavor. I used Italian sausage in place of traditional sausage, still turned out good.
Made this today. House smells AMAZING. Can’t wait for dinner! Thank you for a great recipe.
Thank you for a great recipe and always your teaching spirit!
I have made this twice from this recipe and it was outstanding both times. The second time I used two 12 oz. bags of frozen riced cauliflower instead of rice and used half the amount of broth. It came out great! Just pour in the frozen riced cauliflower and simmer for about 10 minutes. Fewer carbs and you get extra veggies!
From a cajun cooker, I’m excited to cook your version. Check the recipe. Are you using 4 sliced tomatoes and 4 links of andouille sliced. That caught my eye.
I’m enjoying learning from you, thanks!
First time making jambalaya easy to follow taste was outstanding only downside was veggies a little soft other than that spot on sir I have been making many of your recipe not one failed yet
Your recipe says to dice the shrimp, but your pictures of the finished dish shows what certainly appears to be a whole shrimp. Do you only dice half the shrimp?
You can keep whole, slice in half, or dice them, totally up to you.
I was a little apprehensive using this recipe because there were no ratings or comments but I used it anyway and it was delicious! I was also a bit afraid because I wasn’t sure of the amounts that corresponded to the ingredients ( ex. 4 tomatoes equals 12 oz) but everything worked out fine. This was really yummy and not difficult to make. The only change I made was to put the shrimp in after the rice cooked and let it sit until it cooked.
Sue!! So great to hear this recipe worked out great and that you enjoyed it!
Sounds easy and delicious! Btw did you use that boneless chicken?
I simply took the bone out of the thigh and then used chicken tenders as well since my family aren’t huge dark meat fans!