Authentic Jambalaya Recipe. 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. Let the feast begin!
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’s the Difference Between Cajun and 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. This jambalaya recipe is the Creole version.
An important element in this dish is the Creole seasoning and we 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!
Get our recipe for the BEST homemade Creole Seasoning!
Tender chicken, juicy shrimp and spicy andouille sausage are tossed with rice, bell peppers, onions, celery, tomatoes, and a generous dose of Creole seasoning. It’s comfort food with some kick (how much kick is up to you) and it’s sure to become a favorite. So come get your Creole on and laissez les bons temps rouler!
And now for a few words from The Carpenters (yes, that’s the version I like best. Sorry, 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!
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.
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.
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.
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 jambalaya is ready to serve!
Enjoy!
For more delicious Southern fare be sure to try our:
- Shrimp and Grits
- Fried Okra
- Corn Pudding
- Andouille and Greens with Cheese Grits
- Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
- Jambalaya
- Boiled Peanuts
- Skillet Cornbread
- Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad
- Grillades and Grits
- Fried Catfish
- Chicken Fried Steak Burgers
Authentic Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound chicken breast ,cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 pound andouille sausage ,sliced in 1/4 inch slices
- 1 yellow onion ,chopped
- 3 cloves garlic ,minced
- 1 green bell pepper ,diced
- 1 stalk celery ,diced
- 1 cup long grain white rice (e.g. Louisiana or Carolina rice or similar)
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning , click link for homemade Creole seasoning recipe (STRONGLY recommended)
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound medium raw shrimp ,deveined (optional: tails removed)
- 4 green onions ,thinly sliced
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
Originally Published on The Daring Gourmet February 2014
Claudia L Dillard says
Made this recipe 8-12-2020. Although the spices and melding of flavors were pretty much “right on”, I have to add that there was quite a bit of extra liquid left over after the rice was cooked, however. The next time I try this recipe I will either add 1/2 cup more rice to the recipe or reduce the chicken stock by a 1/2 cup. The rice should be very fluffy and much drier. Typically, making the golden brown colored roux in the very beginning with flour and oil is the “magic” ingredient when making authentic Jambalaya which this recipe skips entirely. All in all I am very happy that I did not have to spend an extra 2 hours in the kitchen using my original recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Hari Dhameliya says
This looks terrific. If I was hoping to make it in a crockpot or slow cooker, how could I teak the recipe?
Ray says
I made this recipe last night. The only thing I changed is I added more tomatoes because the can I had was larger than called for. This was an excellent meal and not difficult. You are so right about the spice mix. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Ray, I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
What hot sauce did you use?
Marge says
I used Frank’s Red Hot and it came out delicious.
Anonymous says
Do you cook the rice first before adding it
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
No, it’s uncooked.
Anonymous says
Was really good… I personally would add more Shrimp and andouillie sausage…
Rob says
Oh my goodness this was so freaking good!!! Making the seasoning from scratch is a MUST! Love your recipes! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Rob, thank you so much! :)
Cris says
Winner, winner, chicken dinner. 1st effort at jambalaya not “out of the Zatarain’s box”. Haven’t figured out yet what I’d change. 👍🏻
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So awesome, Cris, thank you! :)
Mary says
This was the first time I made home made Jambalaya. I will never make it any other way! The only changes I did was I used the whole andouille sausage sliced and 1 lb of shrimp. My son in law (Who only eats beef!) tried it and absolutely love it! Thank you for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Mary, I’m so glad it was a hit, thanks so much for the feedback!
ANGELIA says
This was the best Jambalaya I have ever had! It was the most comforting, flavorful dish I have had in a long time! Especially during all of this craziness, comfort is much needed, even with food. I love the one pot cooking also! Easy clean up! I will be sharing this with all my foodie friends! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, Angelia, thank you! :)
Ole Possum says
The doctor told me to stay away from white rice. I can do brown rice only. Would there be any other things I would need to change for that?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi, brown rice needs a lot longer to cook so you’ll need to increase the cooking time to about 40 minutes. Check to see if the liquid absorbs before the rice is cooked and if that’s the case add a little more chicken broth and let it continue to cook.
Tori says
This recipe is FABULOUS and so easy! I made this cleaning out my mom’s pantry and freezer. Made a few changes based on what she had and it still turned out great. I only had 6 oz shredded chicken, 13 oz smoked turkey sausage, and a mix of 12 oz of different sized shrimp, haha. Only half an onion, 1 whole bell pepper, and no celery. I used chicken bouillon and water in place of broth and had canned tomatoes with celery, bell pepper, and onion in it. Even with all of these changes, my family raved about it. Can’t wait to make it when I have all of the right ingredients! Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Tori, thanks so much for the feedback!
Cerah says
I really want to make this for my house, but 2 of my mates are allergic to shell-fish. Do you have any recommendations for substituting the shrimp? Or should I just make up for it with extra chicken and sausage?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cerah, yes that’s what I do, just add a little more chicken or sausage. Happy cooking!
irene says
Will this hold in a chafer in a buffet for a while?
Tracy Cannon says
I want to make this the night before a mardi gras party. I need to triple the recipe. 2 questions should I cook each batch separately and can this be reheated the day of party. I am afraid of it being too mushy.