Authentic Jambalaya Recipe.Ā 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.Ā 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?Ā No way!Ā We can travel to New Orleans via our taste buds by making and enjoying its most famous dish, Jambalaya!Ā 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: Ā Creole and Cajun.Ā Both utilize what’s referred to as the “holy trinity” – onion, celery, and bell pepper (usually green).Ā The main difference is that Creole jambalaya, also called “red jambalaya” uses tomatoes while Cajun jambalaya does not. Ā Another difference is the order in which the ingredients are prepared.Ā 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. Ā The flavor will be fresher, bolder and SO much better than store-bought!Ā 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. Ā It’s comfort food with some kick (how much kick is up to you) and it’s sure to become a favorite. Ā 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.Ā Sorry, Hank.). Ā 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 filƩ 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.Ā 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.Ā Stir half of the Creole seasoning in the chicken to evenly coat.Ā Ā 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. Ā Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Ā 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. Ā Add more Creole seasoning, hot sauce, or salt and pepper to taste.
Serve sprinkled with some sliced green onions.Ā 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
Kim says
If I wanted to make this as a meal to freeze, should I exclude the rice? Or maybe undercook it a bit?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kim, I wouldn’t advise freezing the rice. Even undercooking the rice you’ll end up with rice that’s mushy and sponge-like.
Rob43 says
I never comment on on-line recipes, although I use them all the time. I made this today. I used this opportunity to add a Dutch Oven to my kitchen. I followed pretty closely with a couple of minor tweaks. Not that it was needed, but cooking is simply my thing. :)
Tablespoon of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes (I normally do this with maranara sauce as well), a bit of fennel seed (just because I love it), and I finished it in the oven. After everything except shrimp was in the pot, and just starting to simmer, I covered it and placed into the oven at 325F. 40 mins. I then added the shrimp, a touch more stock, and back in the oven for 15 mins. Was simply unbelieveable. Topped off with a 1/2 cup of fresh copped parsley. I think the best part is your creole seasoning! Best Jamabalaya I’ve ever had, exceeding expectations.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m thrilled to hear that Rob, thanks so much for the feedback!
Laurie says
I am going to be making this for approximately 50 peopleš§ Any suggestions? How many pots should I use? And how many batches? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Laurie, that’s a lot of people! :) Well, one batch of this makes 4 generous servings, so to feed 50 you’d need to multiply the recipe by about 12 for 48 generous servings. If this is one of several dishes, or if there are sides, you won’t need to make that much. This is quite the undertaking though – good luck!
anne VandeMoortel says
Make it in a big electric roaster for a crowd, works fine. Thanks for the Creole seasoning instructions. Kimberly, I’ve read through many, many comments and am impressed with your responses and easy attitude.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Anne, I appreciate it!
Annie says
Question: I see this recipe serves 4. How big are those servings? Ample or scant? (I will be making a double-recipe as an entree for 8 people.) Thanks for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Annie, those are 4 ample servings and doubling it should be adequate for your 8 guests provided you’re having a side with it.
Shanta' says
Hi Kimberly, am I adding raw uncooked shrimp with the rice or cooking and setting it aside before adding it towards the end? The picture above looks like the shrimp was cooked before added with the rice.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Shanta’, you add it raw at the very end and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Bill J says
I just made your recipe for the fourth time at family’s request.
It has become one of our favorites!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s awesome, Bill, thank you!!
Kevin says
Made this pretty true to your recipe. Little more shrimp, little more hot sauce, and I used Paul Prudhomme’s seafood seasoning. It’s simmering right now, and the odor is mouth-watering! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Kevin – happy eating! :)
Ann says
Without a doubt, this is the best Jambalaya I have ever tasted! Thank you so much. The only thing I did different was to use chicken legs and thighs which I browned instead of the chicken breast.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Ann, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Tricia says
Hi, I am considering making this soon but had a question about the rice. My hubby is Filipino, and we eat rice almost every day. So much so that we buy Jasmine rice by the 50ld bag once a month. I grew up in the south and I’m quite use to long grain rice, but we never buy it now. So I was wondering if I could use the Jasmine rice I have or do I need to bite the bullet and buy a small bag of long grain for your recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Tricia, you can absolutely use Jasmine and it will be delicious – no need to buy something you don’t normally use. Happy cooking!
Julie says
I will be trying this recipe tomorrow for the first time. It looks delicious. I have one question though. Your recipe calls for one stalk of celery. Do you mean one rib of celery or all the ribs that come with the entire head of celery? The photo looks like there is plenty of celery in the dish, so I thought I would clarify. Thank you.
P.S. Karen rocks Jambalaya and was gone too soon!!
I have ALL of their recordings and I’m a HUGE fan. Don’t let anyone give you any grief about what you love!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I know, Julie, the Carpenters are AWESOME! I will say though that I’ve never heard anyone do a more thorough job of butchering “California Dreaming” than they did – it’s really bad. But since 99% of their other songs are terrific I can let that one slide ;) Yes, it’s just one rib of celery, not the entire head – thanks for clarifying. Happy cooking!
Juju says
I found this recipe on Pinterest and just trying it tonight with some sausage we got from a little family-owned place outside Tallahassee that does their own butchering and sausage-making, and with fresh Gulf of Mexico shrimp, of course. The whole house smells delicious. I can’t wait to serve it, with a fresh baguette from the oven, too!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds wonderful, Juju, I hope you enjoy your dinner – let us know what you think!
Juju says
Nailed it! I (well, you and I) hit one out of the park with this dish. Going into the regular rotation! I highly recommend accompanying the jambalaya with a warm, homemade baguette, and including a diced jalapeno from the garden, if it’s available.
Also, thanks for the recipe for making our own Creole seasoning–I love being able to make my own seasoning mixes, and I can now add Creole seasoning to my row of little hand-labeled jars. I love that!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
YES!!! That’s what I love to hear – thanks, Juju! :)
Elena says
This recipe calls for 1 cup of uncooked rice while the crockpot version calls for 2 cups of cooked rice. Should this stovetop recipe call for 2 cups of uncooked rice?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Elena, the slow cooker version calls for 2 cups of cooked rice while the regular version calls for 1 cup of uncooked rice.
Wayne says
You don’t like Hank jr’s “twang” ? Sounds like a Yankee trying to tell other Yankees how to cook Southern food…. giggles
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
LOL, Wayne! Guilty as charged, I’m afraid – try not to hold it against me :)
Jen says
I made this after taking my boyfriend to a popular Cajun restaurant. He loves spicy food and Cajun cuisine, and the restaurant dish wasn’t hot enough. I doubled the cayenne in your homemade seasoning and made this for him. He LOVED it!! It was the first time I’ve seen him eat a meal without adding hot sauce or cayenne over the top. It was absolutely delicious.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Jen, I’m so happy it was a hit – thank you! :)
Ed says
Possible to do this in a slow cooker or will that change the flavoring?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ed, here’s a version adapted to the slow cooker: http://www.daringgourmet.com/slow-cooker-jambalaya/