Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

This jambalaya recipe is simple to make and full of Cajun flavors. You'll enjoy every spicy, savory, bite of chicken, sausage, rice, and the perfect blend of seasonings.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 645kcal

Author Anne Clark

Equipment

Sharp kitchen knife
Cutting board
heavy, 5-qt pan with lid
measuring cup(s)
measuring spoons

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" chunks
1 pound smoked, spicy sausage (such as conecuh or andouille), cut into 1" discs Alternative: Chorizo sausage
1 cup diced onion (see recipe Note for time-saving step)
1 cup diced bell pepper (see recipe Note for time-saving step)
½ cup diced celery (see recipe Note for time-saving step)
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano
1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama)
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups uncooked, extra long grain rice (or long grain) do NOT use instant rice

Instructions

In a heavy 5-quart saute pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and brown the cut up chicken that has been seasoned with Tony's (NOTE: this is not the amount in the ingredient list; simply sprinkle the cut-up chicken with a little [or a lot] Tony's) for 3-5 minutes. Do not cook the chicken through. Remove chicken from pot.
Add the sliced sausage to the pot and brown for 5 minutes. Then 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. Simmer covered on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
Return chicken to pot and add the tomatoes, broth, and seasonings above. Mix well and taste for flavor. 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.
Cover and lower heat (very gentle simmer) and cook another 30 minutes or until rice is done. Do not lift the lid while the jambalaya is cooking. Do not boil the jambalaya! All that's needed is a slow, gentle simmer. On my stove, it's the lowest setting.
Alternative Method. Recipe can be doubled and baked in the oven at 350F for 1 hour. Looking at the recipe card, you still do steps 1 and 2. BUT for step 3, you will place the browned chicken, browned sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery into a large roasting pan and add the tomatoes, broth, seasonings, and raw rice. Mix well and taste for flavor. Step 4, bake in the oven for an hour or until the rice is tender. The pan needs to be covered tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil or have a lid that fits well.

Notes

Time-saving step: Use 1 (10-oz) bag of frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery "seasoning blend." I almost exclusively use this now, and I promise the recipe will still turn out fantastic!
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!
Use long grain rice or extra long grain rice otherwise, the rice may be too soft and soggy.
Serve with crusty french bread and a side salad.
Any leftovers should last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight, covered container.

Nutrition