Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Some days, it’s nice to have a recipe that checks off all the boxes: easy, filling, quick cooking, and minimal cleanup. This dish does all that! I’ll show you how to make this one pot chicken and sausage jambalaya that will become a go- to busy weeknight dinner for you and your family. You will even make your own spice blend, so there is no need for store bought seasoning!
If you know me by now, you know this recipe is from scratch with real ingredients. This recipe is a staple for me during sports season, and it has been popular on the site for years. I hope it becomes a regular in your house too! Just check out these testimonials!
What readers say:
“A new family favorite. It was delicious and something I will certainly make again. Everyone loved it!”
michelle
What readers say:
“Amy this recipe is so delicious. Thank you!”
Jill
I like having a few quick cooking dishes in my arsenal, and this one is terrific. I have been making this dish for years, and it has become a regular busy weeknight meal! We love this with roasted broccoli, an easy green salad, or some carrots and green beans.
Amy’s Tips For The Best Jambalaya Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs- I prefer thighs for this recipe. They have a richer flavor, and they stand up well to simmering. If you want to substitute chicken breasts, see the recipe card notes.
- Sausage- In my personal opinion, Andouille sausage is the best variety for a recipe like this because it has a little extra spice and it is more traditional to the dish. If you want it really hot, try hot links! I’ve done this a time or two, and it’s pretty sassy! I have tested this dish and made it for my family too many times to count, and I always find that Andouille or regular smoked sausage are best. I am lucky enough to find great Andouille sausage made locally even though I live in the Pacific Northwest. Take a look around in your area, you never know what you might find!
- Fresh Aromatic Vegetables- The veggies in this recipe are known in Creole and Cajun cuisines as the Holy Trinity, which is celery, onion, and bell pepper. They provide flavor, crunch, and texture and they truly help make this a one pot wonder.
- Rice- Long grain white rice is best. Your rice is less likely to be clumpy, and it will cook in the same amount of time that the chicken will finish cooking. I have also tested this recipe with brown rice. It will take too long to cook, and you risk overcooking the chicken and vegetables. I have also tried cauliflower rice, and it just turns to mush and does not soak up the liquid, so the Jambalaya is really soggy. I tried these ideas so you don’t have to guess the results!
- Fresh Tomatoes- The tomatoes in this recipe are what make it Creole rather than Cajun. Jambalaya is both a Cajun and Creole dish. You’ll love the difference when using fresh tomatoes over canned!
Amy’s Secrets For Making Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
When I created this recipe for my family, I wanted it to be something that we turned to again and again, that stayed on the short list of easy dinners in my home. It has wholeheartedly succeeded to that end.
The first time I made it, it came out pretty good, but over time I tweaked it here and there to the version you see today.
Here are some of my best secrets and tips for the best Jambalaya, along with some helpful photos.
Amy’s Pro Tips
Brown The Chicken
Not only does browning the chicken first ensure that it is cooked through, it adds a lot of flavor. You’re looking for a light golden brown on both sides!
Brown The Sausage
Be sure to brown your sausage so it is lightly browned and the fat is rendering out. That fat helps toast the rice and flavor the veggies too!
Toast The Rice
This gives the rice a rich and nutty flavor. For more notes on the rice, see the recipe card.
One of the things that makes this Jambalaya special is the homemade spice blend. This blend is a combination of fresh and dried herbs and spices. You can use more cayenne pepper if you like more heat. Another thing that makes it really special? Stir in a little chopped fresh parsley at the end before serving!
Amy’s Step By Step Guide To Making The Best Jambalaya
In these helpful photos, I’ll show you key steps to making this dish. It’s so easy! Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list along with instructions below.
Dice the onions. Slice the celery. Dice the bell pepper. Dice the tomatoes.
Get those veggies diced up while the Dutch oven heats.
Add the veggies. Add the seasonings. Pour in the rice. Add the chicken and water.
The tomatoes cook down during simmering, helping to deepen the flavor of the cooking liquid. You won’t miss using chicken broth, water is all you need!
Thank you for stopping by The Copper Table. I hope you enjoy this chicken and sausage jambalaya! If you tried this recipe, please leave a rating or comment below.
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Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
This easy Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya is a one pot meal that is one the table in no time. Loaded with fresh veggies and a homemade seasoning blend, its a stress free busy weeknight dinner you’ll love!
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Jambalaya
- 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about one pound)
- 1 Tablespoon of avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons of salt, divided
- 2 tsp pepper, divided
- 1 pound of Andouille or Smoked Sausage (about 2-3 links)
- 1 medium Yellow Onion
- 1 large Red Bell Pepper
- 3 Celery stalks
- 2 Tomatoes
- 2 cups of Water
- Seasoning blend, recipe below
- 1 cup dried long grain white rice (not brown rice or quick cooking rice)
For the Seasoning Blend
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried Oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of Paprika
- 1 Tablespoon of Fresh Thyme (or 1 teaspoon of dried)
- 3 cloves of Garlic
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the one tablespoon of oil on medium high heat. Use 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 tsp of the pepper to season the boneless skinless chicken thighs and set the rest of the salt and pepper aside. Cook thighs until lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
- While the chicken is browning, chop the 2 cloves of garlic and combine the 1 1/2 tsp of dried oregano, 1 1/2 tsp of paprika, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp of dried) and 1/4- 1/2 tsp of cayenne for the seasoning blend in a small bowl and set aside.
- As the chicken continues browning, chop the onion, red bell pepper, and celery and cut the sausage into 1/2 inch thick slices. Also dice the two tomatoes.
- Once the chicken is browned, remove from the Dutch oven and put it on a plate and wrap tightly with foil and set aside.
- Add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, celery, smoked sausage, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 cup of long grain white rice, and the seasoning blend to the pot and saute until the onion is translucent and the sausage begins to brown more deeply and the spices are fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, the 2 cups of water, and the chicken thighs to the Dutch oven, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 to 25 minutes (check after 15 minutes), until the rice has absorbed the liquid. If almost (or all) of the liquid is absorbed, its ready. Once it’s done cooking, use two forks to shred the chicken thighs and stir before serving. Top with chopped fresh parsley if you like. It’s that easy!
Notes
For extra heat, more cayenne may be added or hot links can replace the smoked sausage.
To save even more time, you can chop the vegetables and prepare the seasoning blend ahead of time.
If you don’t have all of the ingredients needed for the seasoning blend, you can use one Tablespoon of store bought Cajun or Creole seasoning as a substitute. If you do this, make sure to reduce the salt called for in the recipe by half, as most store bought blends contain salt.
If you prefer chicken breasts, you can use one pound of those instead and follow the recipe as normal.
Variations and Substitution Ideas for One Pot Jambalaya
You can add shrimp too! About half a pound is all you need, make sure they are peeled, deveined, and not frozen. To add them, take the lid off the pot in the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, put them right on top, and close the lid. They take almost no time to cook!
Try different types of Paprika such as smoked or hot.
How To Store Jambalaya
Your jambalaya will keep in a plastic or glass container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This makes a great meal prep option, or taking leftovers to work for lunch.
How To Reheat Jambalaya
If you have a lot of leftovers, divide it into portions and reheat each portion in the microwave until warm. If you try to reheat this in a pot or skillet, it may burn the rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Easy Weeknight Dinners, Main Dishes and Sandwiches
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 438
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 1162
- Fat: 29
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 17
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 26
- Cholesterol: 117
Yummy, I have pinned to try very soon, thank you for sharing!
This sounds fantastic! Yum! Pinned 📌.
Thank you so much for sharing this with Sweet Tea & Friends this month dear friend.
This looks like a perfect fall dinner!
I love one pot meals – and this one looks hearty and delicious! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party. Hope your weekend is amazing!
That looks absolutely divine! I’m featuring you when the next To Grandma’s house we go Wednesday link party starts – thanks for sharing with us!
Sounds delicious – I’m adding smoked sausage to my shopping list now!
I hope you enjoy this recipe Chloe! Its a favorite of mine!
You’re speaking my language! I love a one-pot recipe and this is a cracker!
Thank you Janice! I love one pot recipes as well!
Love the flavours and that it’s a one pot wonder! Lovely and warming comfort food.
Thank you Carrie!
Love this! Jambalaya is one of my favourite things to eat. I’m definitely going to try your spice blend too – I’m not a lover of store-bought blends – they can be overly spicy sometimes.
I agree Veronica! It is so much easier to control the flavor when you make your own spice blend, and I find that most store bought blends contain quite a bit of salt.
Total yum! I love jambalaya and plus you make it in one pot–thank you! I love to cook but the clean up is not my kind of thing to do. 🙂 One pot dishes are a win-win for me.
Thank you Gina! I love one pot meals as well, especially the clean up part 🙂