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A close-up shot of a vibrant, steaming bowl of easy homemade jambalaya with rice, chicken, sausage, and shrimp, garnished with fresh parsley.

Easy Jambalaya

Easy Jambalaya is a flavorful one-pot meal featuring chicken, smoked sausage, and rice cooked with a medley of vegetables and spices. It's a hearty and satisfying dish perfect for a family dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun, Creole
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 lb smoked sausage like Andouille or Kielbasa, sliced
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz, undrained
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or more, to taste
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
  3. Add sliced sausage to the pot and cook until browned and slightly crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside with the chicken.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, green bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
  5. Stir in minced garlic, oregano, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  6. Return the chicken and sausage to the pot. Stir in the diced tomatoes (undrained), chicken broth, and uncooked rice.
  7. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Do not lift the lid during this time.
  8. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
  9. Fluff the jambalaya with a fork, season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

For extra heat, add a pinch more cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce. You can substitute shrimp for some of the chicken or sausage, adding it in the last 5-10 minutes of simmering.