This Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya recipe is a family favorite! It’s an authentic Louisiana recipe but is secretly so easy to make at home. Full of andouille sausage, seared chicken, the holy trinity, and tons of Cajun and Creole seasoning, it’s the perfect one-pot meal for any weeknight and makes an amazing Mardi Gras recipe.
Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe
Even though I’m a native Texan, Cajun blood runs deep within my veins.
My feet start tapping when a song I know comes on, the dance floor always calls my name, and I am a HUGE fan of Dirty Rice, blackened shrimp, jambalaya, and sausage gumbo.
Every year we visit my Mom’s side of the family who lives outside of New Orleans for Christmas. And every Christmas we “Texas-folk” get to experience authentic Cajun cooking.
My Nanny will order in catering from this incredible restaurant down the street and we will all pig out on crawfish etouffée and chicken and sausage jambalaya.
And that’s exactly how this recipe was created—after decades of tasting what TRUE and AUTHENTIC Cajun jambalaya tastes like, and dozens of rounds of recipe testing.
This is a jambalaya recipe that’s made with a good bit of spice from the andouille sausage and Creole seasoning, has some tomato flavor, and tender grains without being too mushy.
It’s by far the best I’ve found—and yes, even better than Creole Jambalaya from New Orleans’ most famous restaurants!
Table of Contents
What is Jambalaya?
Jambalaya is a rice dish with different types of meat, usually lean chicken and smoky sausage, along with veggies and seasoned with Cajun or blackened spices. It is a staple in Creole cooking in Louisiana, specifically in favorite restaurants in the New Orleans area. Different types of jambalaya will have a variety of ingredients, but the result is always a flavorful and spicy rice dish, somewhat reminiscent of Spanish paella.
Ingredients
- Chicken. One pound of skinless chicken thighs are cut into ½-inch cubes. You can sub in boneless skinless chicken breasts if preferred.
- Sausage. Bite-sized pieces of andouille sausage add a spicy kick. You can leave the chicken and sausage out and replace with tofu for a vegetarian option.
- White Rice. Make sure you use a long grain rice that is white and not brown. Brown rice requires more liquid and will not fully cook.
- Holy Trinity. A combination of celery, onion, and green bell pepper are sautéed together to give this jambalaya its base of flavor.
- Seasonings. Fresh garlic, dried basil, thyme, and cayenne pepper make up an authentic Cajun seasoning mix. You’ll also want bay leaves, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Broth. Regular sodium chicken broth was tested in this recipe. If you are watching your sodium intake you can use reduced sodium broth and adjust the salt to taste. Stick with vegetable broth for a vegetarian jambalaya.
- Tomatoes. You’ll need a combination of canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste to give additional umami flavor.
How to Make Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Cook the Sausage
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Then, carefully place the sausage in the pot in a single layer. A few overlapping is okay, but avoid this as much as possible for a crispy edge.
Cook the sausage for 3 to 4 minutes, just until browned. Flip, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon.
2. Cook the Chicken
Add the last tablespoon of oil to the pot. Then, place the cubed chicken in. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes WITHOUT flipping or moving. This gives the chicken a nice sear.
Flip the chicken and continue cooking for a total of 5 to 6 minutes. The chicken needs to be browned on all sides, but it’s okay if it’s not cooked all the way through.
Remove the chicken from the pot to the plate with the sausage.
3. Sauté the Veggies
Place the bell pepper, onion, and celery in the pot and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Sauté for one more minute.
4. Add the Ingredients and Simmer
Pour the broth into the pot, being careful of splashing. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck brown bits or pieces.
Add the white rice, diced tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Return the chicken and sausage to the pan. Give everything a good stir.
Turn the heat to high and let everything come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Serve the Jambalaya
Remove the lid from the pot and let the jambalaya rest for another 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the bay leaves and stir the mixture.
Top with some fresh parsley when ready to serve.
FAQs
Both gumbo and jambalaya are Louisiana favorites with very similar flavors and ingredients. However, the main difference is that gumbo is made from a roux and has more of a stew texture while jambalaya is a rice dish, similar to Spanish paella.
While you can freeze jambalaya, note the texture will change upon thawing. Often, the rice will end up mushy while the veggies will get soggy. However, it is definitely safe to freeze it if needed.
While jambalaya isn’t necessarily a low-calorie dish, it’s still relatively healthy because it contains veggies and lean meats. Jambalaya can be quite spicy, depending on the ingredients and spices used.
What to Serve with Jambalaya?
Jambalaya is hearty enough that it can absolutely be a meal on its own. However, if you’d like a few more vegetables, here are some side dish ideas to try.
Keep it easy with Air Fryer Broccoli, Air Fryer Carrots, or Air Fryer Zucchini.
You can also choose a salad, like Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado or Lemon Arugula Salad.
Roasted Cauliflower or an Air Fryer Baked Potato are delicious, too.
More Classic Cajun Recipes
Want a few other easy recipes for Creole food? You might also enjoy these authentic dishes.
- Shrimp Creole
- Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo
- Remoulade Sauce
- Dirty Rice
- Shrimp and Grits
- Blackened Shrimp
- Blackened Salmon
- Blackened Mahi Mahi
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
- Blackened Fish Tacos
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Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. oil divided
- 12 oz. andouille sausage cut into half-inch slices
- 1 lb. chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 1 small sweet onion finely diced
- 3 stalks celery finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 ¾ – 2 cups chicken broth regular sodium*
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice rinsed and drained
- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes regular or fire roasted
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning homemade or store bought
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. basil dried
- 1 tsp. oregano dried
- 1 ¼ tsp. salt to taste
- ½ tsp. black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Once heated, add the sausage in as close to single layer as possible. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until browned, flip, and then brown the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove the browned sausage from the pot and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate.2 Tbsp. oil, 12 oz. andouille sausage
- Cook the Chicken: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Once heated, carefully add the cubed chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes, undisturbed, in order to get a crusty sear. Flip over and continue cooking for a total of 5-6 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and let drain on the paper towel-lined plate with the sausage.2 Tbsp. oil, 1 lb. chicken thighs
- Sauté the Veggies: Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue sautéing for another minute.1 green bell pepper, 1 small sweet onion, 3 stalks celery, 4 garlic cloves
- Add the Rice, Seasonings, and Tomato: Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure there are no bits or pieces stuck. Stir in the white rice, diced tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Carefully add the chicken and sausage and stir to combine.1 ¾ – 2 cups chicken broth, 1 ½ cups long grain white rice, 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. tomato paste, 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 ¼ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. black pepper
- Bring to Boil then Simmer: Turn the heat to high and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for 20-25 minutes.
- Serve the Jambalaya: Remove the lid and let rest, uncovered, for another 5-10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, give everything a good stir, and serve with additional chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
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Notes
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- Join the dark side. Chicken thighs are best in this recipe.
- DIY. Make your own homemade Cajun seasoning so you can customize the spice level.
- Leave it alone. Be sure to let the jambalaya rest for 5 to 10 minutes after cooking so the rice can soak up all the extra juices.
- Find it. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before serving!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi there! About to try this recipe but I’m only feeding myself and my boyfriend. Do you think I could have the recipe and keep the cook times generally the same?
Yes, Kodie! You can definitely halve the recipe with still plenty of leftovers for the two of you. The rice may cook up a little faster, but not by much. Hope you enjoy!
Funny, I also grew up in Orange Texas. West Orange actually. And our mother was as from Labadieville LA about 60 miles west of New Orleans
Thanks for the recipe. We will play with a Dutch oven Shepard’s pie tomorrow over a open fire. Hook luck and continue posting.
Hal Force.
What a small world!! My Dad was born and raised in Orange and went to West Orange (or Stark) when he was a kid, too. Hope you enjoyed your Shepard’s pie 🙂
So excited to try this this week! We don’t have a lot of time in the evenings, so I’m hoping to make it today for later in the week. Will it reheat okay? Any suggestions for how to reheat (stove/oven)?
Hi Chelsea! Great question. Rice is a little difficult to reheat without messing up the texture. I would recommend prepping everything ahead of time, cooking the sausage, and then add it all in the pot on the night of serving. If you decide to fully cook it ahead of time I would recommend adding a bit of broth or water and reheating it in batches on the stove or in the oven. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hey! I am planning on making this for dinner Friday night and my boyfriend would love shrimp added to it. When do you recommend adding the shrimp?! I am a newbie shrimp cooker! Thanks!
Great question, Katie! Shrimp cook up pretty quickly so you can add them in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking (depending on the size you use!) Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Hi there! As a newbie to Cajun cooking, what do you usually serve as a side dish with this recipe?
Great question, Jessica! Since it is a pretty heavy meal, I would suggest pairing it with a salad or some roasted vegetables such as asparagus or broccoli. The true Cajun way, though, would be to enjoy it with a side of gumbo or some blackened fish 😉 Hope you enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! I doubled the cayenne just because of palette preferences but other than that I followed the recipe to a ‘T’ and it turned out beautiful.
Yay, Sarah! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. And I bet that extra cayenne gave it a great kick! Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
Hi there, I was planning on making this with cauliflower rice (cooked separately), so would I still need to add in the chicken broth, or was that liquid mainly used to cook the rice?? Thanks!
Hi Derek! I would leave out the chicken broth since that was used to cook the recipe! Please let me know how this turns out with cauliflower rice – I’ve been meaning to test it, too! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
first time making jambalaya and this was a hit! the only thing i left out was celery. my dad had thirds and my brother had seconds (which is rare for him as a picky teenager)! great dish, not too spicy for people who are apprehensive (i cant handle too much spice and this is the perfect amount). thank you for a great recipe, London!
You’re so very welcome, Allison!! So happy to hear you had a jambalaya success and that your family enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment!
The best Jambalaya I have ever made. I always get requests for this dish.
Yay, Cindy!! So happy to hear that. Do you make any alterations to it?
Hi Can I freeze this? Can I reheat it in an oven?
Thank you
Hi Maggie! Yes, you absolutely can freeze this recipe. I would let it thaw in the refrigerator and then cover it in a baking dish with aluminum foil and heat it up slowly in the oven. Can’t wait to hear what you think!