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. Â It’s comfort food with some kick (how much kick is up to you) and it’s sure to become a favorite. Â 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. Â Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Â 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. Â 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
Debbie says
PS , I am with you on the Carpenters! Love their version of that and all of their songs!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
YES, finally someone agrees!! The Carpenters are just downright awesome :)
Debbie says
Holy wow wow wow!!! This is so so so so flavorful and much fun to make. I followed the recipe for the most part, made my own Creole seasoning per instructions. My only drparture was adding about a tsp of seafood seasoning when I added the shrimp because it just made sense to me. Also, I cooked the rice separately for the low carb followers in the house. The flavor blend is exquisite! My SO loved it! Thank you for making me feel like I can actually cook! Feels great!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wahoo, Debbie, I’m so glad it was a hit and appreciate the feedback, thank you! :)
Kevin Finnie says
Made this a month ago. We loved it. The seasoning package is the glue that makes it so balanced and flavorful. My daughter said she hates seafood, but this was great. My wife doesn’t like jambalaya or gumbo but she liked this. Only criticism was that it could have used more rice but I fix when I make again tonight.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Kevin, I’m so glad it was a hit, thank you! Agreed, the seasoning blend makes all the difference.
Deanie says
Hi there……can I make a larger quantity and cook it in a magnalite pot vs a skillet?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Deanie, yes absolutely. Happy cooking!
Jerry says
Excellent recipe Kimberly! Especially the recipe for the Creole Seasoning. I made a jar of it for future use. My one suggestion: Remind your readers to deglaze the pan after cooking the meat and Trinity to loosen all of the Cajun goodness sticking to the bottom. It can be done with a half cup to a cup of the chicken broth and only takes a minute or two.
Its amazing how much flavor it can add to the dish.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Jerry, and thanks for the tip!
Jenny D says
Made this tonight, It turned out amazing! I left out the hot sauce and halfed the cayenne (for my spice intolerant children). Served up their dishes and then added it in. This was flavorful enough to be excellent both ways. Also did wild rice for mine and pasta for the rest of the fam so made them on the side. All ways it was a hit!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m thrilled to hear that, Jenny, thank you!
Jim Moncrieff says
Kimberly, this recipe is outstanding and we really enjoyed it! One Jambalaya tip I picked up from a NOLA friend of mine was to make a quick 10-minute shrimp stock with the peeled shrimp shells and use that as the liquid in the chicken broth (I use the ‘Better than Bouillon’ chicken base/paste) The shrimp stock adds an additional flavor depth that opens up those New Orleans flavors. Even without this enhancement, this is my new favorite Jambalaya recipe. Thanks for posting it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Jim, thanks so much for the feedback! Thanks for that tip, it’s a great idea and I’ll definitely do that from now on.
Linda Kincz says
I made this and we enjoyed it. I did par cook the rice first and cut back on hot sauce. We added it to personal taste. Will make again
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Linda, thank you!
Shannon Casey says
This looks fantastic! I was born in Louisiana but lived in Austin for most of my life so I like spice! Now, I live in the Pacific Northwest (Bellingham). I’m having a dinner party of Saturday (some are meat eaters while others are vegan) so I’ll make a two batches of this recipe–one with meat and the other without or with fake sausage. Is the crockpot version as good as the skillet version? Which do you recommend?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Shannon! The crockpot version is adapted to be more fuss-free and it’s also delicious, but this traditional version is the one I recommend. All the best for your dinner party!
Cliff says
I’ve had a lot of Jambalaya over the years and this recipe is spot on! In fact, it”s better than some I’ve tried in Louisiana.
I made it exactly to your instructions and the dish is excellent.
Thank you so much
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wahoooo! I’m thrilled to hear that, Cliff, thanks so much for your feedback!
Marisa Blair says
I cooked this tonight and my family loved it. I am in England so used Chorizo sausage as I couldn’t get the other sausage you mentioned in mainstream supermarkets here.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Marisa, I’m so glad it was a hit, thank you! Spanish chorizo is a great substitute, good choice.
Emery Nemethy says
After reading a dozen other recipes, this one is definitely my favorite.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Emery!
Gary hamilton says
How much does this recipe make.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gary, it serves 4.
Angelica says
I’m excited to make this but worried it won’t fit in my “large” skillet. I have a 12 inch AllClad skillet. Am I crazy?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Angelica, your 12″ skillet should do the job perfectly!
Verena Le Blanc says
Made this dish and followed the recipe exactly. It was absolutely delicious and my family is requesting a second round!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Verena, thanks so much for letting us know!