Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

My family loves it when I make this jambalaya! They say it's the best jambalaya recipe. I'm honestly not one to argue with that sentiment.

This made-from-scratch recipe tastes superior to any boxed version, and it is ready to eat in under one hour!

I also love that this Louisiana jambalaya recipe is completely packed with flavor and has all of the elements of a complete dish in a single, scoopable meal. I can make a batch at the beginning of the week and be set with microwavable lunches or dinners for several days!

Made in just one pot, this Cajun recipe requires just a few simple ingredients, a little bit of prep and almost no clean up. This jambalaya is an easy weeknight dinner, potluck, office party, tailgate, or holiday meal.

Tip: If you're a fan of one-pot, one-pan meals, check out my Sheet Pan Cajun Chicken and Potatoes.  Or give my Cajun Shrimp Stew a try. Both are very easy to put together and has lots of Cajun flavor.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs - I highly recommend going with dark meat in this recipe. Thighs don't dry out as much as breasts do, and they are basically impossible to overcook.

Spicy smoked sausage - I recommend Conecuh or Andouille sausage where possible. If you do not eat pork, feel free to substitute a beef or chicken sausage instead.

Diced trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery) - I personally don't like chunky vegetables in my jambalaya, so I prefer smaller "diced" vegetables over the larger "chopped" vegetables. But if you prefer chunky, then chop on!

Time Saving Tip - You can also opt to use the frozen onion, bell pepper, and celery "seasoning blend" to get dinner on the table even faster.  The frozen seasoning blend is a great shortcut that I often choose when needed.

Canned diced tomatoes - If possible, get the kind with garlic, basil, and oregano already added. One less step for you! If you only have regular diced tomatoes available, add an extra ½ teaspoon each of dried garlic, basil, and oregano.

Chicken broth - I use canned broth for convenience, but feel free to use homemade instead!

Extra-long grain rice - Do NOT use instant rice, or you'll end up with a mushy mess.  "Extra Long Grain" is best since it won't get sticky, but you can also use other popular kinds of long grain rice like jasmine or basmati instead.

Cajun Seasoning - I prefer Tony Chachere's or Slap ya mama brands.  You could use plain ole cayenne pepper, if you prefer.

Parsley - I use dried parsley since I literally always have it in the pantry. You can substitute 3 tablespoons of fresh if you prefer.

Basil - Like parsley, I always keep dried basil on hand. If using fresh, sub in 1 tablespoon for the dried.

Remaining pantry ingredients: olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper are pretty self explanatory.

(1) Add oil to a heavy 5-quart sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sprinkle chicken pieces with some extra Cajun seasoning to taste. Brown the cut-up chicken that has been seasoned for 3-5 minutes. Do not cook the chicken through. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.

(2) Add the sliced sausage to the pot and brown for 5 minutes.

(3) Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Mix well and scrape bottom of pan to remove and incorporate any browned pieces of chicken and sausage. Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

(4)  Add the tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Mix well and taste for seasoning. Adjust salt as necessary, then return the chicken back to the pot. Add raw rice and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and lower heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes and then stir mixture to bring rice to the top.

(5)  Cover and lower heat (very gentle simmer) and cook another 30 minutes or until rice is done.