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Authentic Jambalaya

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This quintessential dish from New Orleans is a spicy one-pot rice dish featuring chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, and a whole host of Southern flavors.  This authentic jambalaya recipe is all you need to create that classic Creole dish that is guaranteed to win everyone over. Let the feast begin!

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Most of us won’t be going down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but that doesn’t have to stop us from enjoying some great Creole food, does it?  No way!  We can travel to New Orleans via our taste buds by making and enjoying its most famous dish – Jambalaya!  This authentic Jambalaya recipe consistently gets rave reviews and is sure to be a hit at your dinner table!

What is Jambalaya?

If there’s one dish that captures the soul of Louisiana cuisine, it’s jambalaya. This hearty and spicy one-pot chicken, sausage, shrimp and rice dish is a celebration of history, culture and flavor. Jambalaya has deep roots, tracing its origins to the Spanish Valencian Paella and Seafood Paella and the flavors of French, African, and Caribbean cuisine. The dish is built in layers, with the “holy trinity” (onions, bell peppers, and celery), proteins (usually chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp), tomatoes, spices, and rice. It simmers to perfection, letting all the flavors meld into a beautiful, spicy, deeply satisfying dish.

Cajun vs Creole Jambalaya

There are two general kinds of jambalaya:  Creole and Cajun.  Both utilize what’s referred to as the “holy trinity” – onion, celery, and bell pepper (usually green).  The main difference is that Creole jambalaya, also called “red jambalaya” uses tomatoes while Cajun jambalaya does not.  Another difference is the order in which the ingredients are prepared.  I’m sharing an authentic Creole jambalaya recipe with you.

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Jambalaya Ingredients and Substitutions

Creole jambalaya is made with a combination of proteins, vegetables, rice and seasonings. Here is what you’ll need to make it:

  • The “Holy Trinity”: Onion, celery and green bell pepper. Additionally, diced tomatoes are added along with yellow onion, green onions and garlic.
  • Proteins: Chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp. While anyone in New Orleans will tell you that it’s sacrilegious to use anything but andouille sausage, if you have a hard time finding it you can substitute a smoked sausage of your choice. For the shrimp, choose medium shrimp and devein them. Whether you leave the tails on or remove them is purely aesthetics and a matter of personal preference.
  • Butter: For sautéing the chicken and vegetables.
  • Rice: Choose a long grain white rice variety for this such as Louisiana rice (like this one or this one), Carolina rice or similar. As a matter of personal preference, some people like to use par-boiled rice because it isn’t as sticky.
  • Chicken Broth: For simmering everything in. Store-bought or homemade chicken broth, your choice.
  • Seasonings: Hot sauce for some kick (add more or less per preference), Worcestershire sauce for depth and umami, bay leaves for an earthy flavor, salt to tie it all together, and most importantly Creole seasoning. I very strongly recommend making your own homemade Creole Seasoning. I promise, it will give you the BEST flavor.
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As I already mentioned above, an absolutely key ingredient in this dish is the Creole seasoning and I STRONGLY recommend you make your own.  The flavor will be fresher, bolder and SO much better than store-bought.  It’s super quick and simple to make and trust me, it’s WORTH it! Check out my recipe for homemade Creole Seasoning.

jambalaya recipe best authentic traditional creole cajun new orleans

Jambalaya Recipe

Let’s get started!

Make the homemade Creole Seasoning.  Trust me, it’s so much better than store-bought and will make a HUGE difference in the flavor outcome of your jambalaya.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and slice the andouille sausage.  Stir half of the Creole seasoning in the chicken to evenly coat.   Set aside until ready to use.

picture of ingredients and chicken in bowl with creole seasoning

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the andouille sausage and cook for another 3 minutes or until the sausage begins to brown. Add the onion, garlic, green bell pepper, and celery and cook for another 4 minutes.

Stir in the rice, tomatoes, and the remaining Creole seasoning.

adding chicken andouille sausage bell peppers and onions to pot

Add the broth, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and bay leaves.  

Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, giving it a stir around the halfway point.

adding tomatoes broth and shrimp

Stir in the shrimp, cover, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add more Creole seasoning, hot sauce, or salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with some sliced green onions.  Your authentic jambalaya is ready to serve!

Enjoy!

jambalaya recipe best authentic creole cajun new orleans

New Orleans Jambalaya is truly the ultimate comfort food and is sure to become a favorite (just check out all the rave reviews below).  So come get your Creole on and laissez les bons temps rouler!

But first, a few words from Mr. Hank Williams Jr.. And yes, at the risk of starting a rebellion I’ll admit that I like The Carpenter’s version best. My apologies to Hank. Hit it, Karen!

Goodbye, Joe, me gotta go, me oh my oh.
Me gotta go, pole the pirogue down the bayou.
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh.
Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou!

Thibodaux, Fontaineaux, the place is buzzin’,
kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen.
Dress in style and go hog wild, me oh my oh.
Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou!

Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filé gumbo
‘Cause tonight I’m gonna see my ma cher amio.
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gayo,
Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou!

For more delicious Southern recipes be sure to try my:

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jambalaya recipe best authentic traditional New Orleans

Authentic Jambalaya

The quintessential dish from New Orleans, this authentic Jambalaya recipe faetures chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, and a whole host of Southern flavors!
4.98 from 286 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the homemade Creole seasoning. Set aside.
  • Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on all sides. Add the andouille sausage and cook for another 3 minutes or so until the sausage begins to brown.
    Add the onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the rice, diced tomatoes, remaining tablespoon of Creole seasoning, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth and bay leaves.
    Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, giving it one stir around the halfway point. Add the shrimp, cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the rice is tender.
    Serve sprinkled with some sliced green onions.

Nutrition

Calories: 587kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 54gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 278mgSodium: 1602mgPotassium: 1202mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1667IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 174mgIron: 5mg
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Cajun, Creole
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally Published on The Daring Gourmet February 2014

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




4.98 from 286 votes (157 ratings without comment)

389 Comments

  1. This has become one of my kitchen staples! My family is from New Orleans and we great up eating Cajun/creole food and this stood up to my high expectations!

    Only challenge I’ve had is when doubling the recipe. It takes forever for the rice to cook and parts get burned on the pan. Any suggestions?

  2. I Never had Jambalaya until I went to New Orleans five yrs. ago. The place I had it at, had good reviews but I wasn’t impressed with their Jambalaya. I found your recipe about 4 years ago and loved it. I have had the recipe saved it in my favorites on my laptop and make it at least every other month. The only change I make is I use Watkins Cajun seasoning because it is much lower sodium than the Tonys pre-made. And don’t add more salt because I have to eat lower sodium.

  3. I left out the chicken and increased shrimp to 3/4 pound, but otherwise made as directed. I did opt for low, or no, sodium versions of some of the ingredients like chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and Creole seasoning which I made from scratch, and omitted the salt addition entirely as the sausage is salty on its own. Let me say, this is excellent and the recipe is a keeper.

  4. I decided to make this for a dinner party this Friday, but I got nervous and decided to make a ‘test pot’ tonight. I followed your recipe exactly, except for waiting until the last 7 minutes to add the shrimp and that is when I stirred the rice. It turned out perfect! I can’t wait to make it Friday night and add it to our regular rotation of meals. Thank you for a great recipe!

    1. Fantastic, Cheryl! Doing a test run when you’re expecting company is always a smart thing to do and I’m so glad this was a success. Thanks so much for the feedback, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it and hope you have fabulous dinner party!

  5. So delicious!! Definitely a new household regular. I am Keto, though, so instead of the rice I chopped 6 cups of cauliflower small, sautéed it separately, and added it back to the vegetables (I also left out the broth, of course.) Super super tasty, and next time I’ll make it with your creole seasoning! Thanks for sharing!!

    1. try it over sautéed/pan fried cabbage for a keto option. We’ve started using cabbage in place of rice and pasta and like it more than cauliflower!

  6. This tastes insane man! It’s our new favorite recipe for the whole family. Greetings and love from germany! Thank you for sharing this.