Easy Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Jambalaya
Easy Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Jambalaya is a mild, family-friendly one-pot dinner made with tender chicken, smoky sausage, juicy shrimp, and rice simmered in a richly seasoned broth. It's flavorful without being spicy, with simple options to add heat at the end so everyone can adjust their bowl to taste.
- Total Time50 minutes
- Yield4-6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- olive oil (1 tablespoon | 15 ml)
- smoked sausage or andouille (12 ounces | 340 g), sliced
- boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (1 pound | 454 g), cut into bite-size pieces
- raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (½ pound | 227 g), optional
- yellow onion (1 medium | 150 g), diced
- green bell pepper (1 large | 120 g), diced
- celery ribs (2 ribs), diced
- garlic cloves (3 cloves | 9 g), minced
- tomato paste (2 tablespoons)
- tomato sauce (1 cup)
- crushed tomatoes (1 cup)
- long-grain white rice (1 ½ cups | 300 g)
- chicken broth (3 cups | 720 ml)
- paprika (1 teaspoon)
- smoked paprika (1 teaspoon)
- dried thyme (½ teaspoon)
- dried oregano (½ teaspoon)
- kosher salt (½ teaspoon), plus more to taste
- black pepper (¼ teaspoon)
- bay leaf (1 leaf)
- green onions (2 whole), sliced
- fresh parsley (optional | to taste)
- hot sauce (optional for serving | to taste)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add smoked sausage or andouille (12 ounces) and cook until lightly browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Add boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (1 pound) to the same pot and cook until lightly browned on the outside. Remove and set aside with the sausage.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add yellow onion (1 medium), green bell pepper (1 large), and celery ribs (2 ribs). Cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic cloves (3 cloves) and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste (2 tablespoons) and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to deepen the flavor. Add tomato sauce (1 cup) and crushed tomatoes (1 cup). stirring well and scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Add paprika (1 teaspoon), smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), dried thyme (½ teaspoon), dried oregano (½ teaspoon), kosher salt (½ teaspoon), black pepper (¼ teaspoon), and bay leaf (1 leaf). Stir in long-grain white rice (1½ cups)and cook for 1 minute, stirring so the rice is fully coated.
- Pour in chicken broth (3 cups) and return the cooked smoked sausage or andouille (12 ounces) and boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (1 pound) to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- If using shrimp, nestle raw shrimp (½ pound) into the rice, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through.
- Remove the bay leaf (1 leaf) and let the jambalaya rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently and finish with green onions (2 whole) and fresh parsley (optional). Taste and adjust salt as needed before serving.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate. Because this is a soup-style dish, ingredients such as rice, broth and protein do not divide evenly between servings. Exact nutrition information would require weighing each portion after cooking.
Shrimp is optional. This jambalaya is hearty with just chicken and sausage. Add shrimp if you want a more traditional version or are cooking for a special occasion.
Rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. If reheating leftovers, add a splash of chicken broth to loosen the texture.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This jambalaya freezes well; cool completely and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~ 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 767
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 1621.7 mg
- Fat: 43.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.4 g
- Protein: 47 g
- Cholesterol: 198.9 mg