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Jambalaya Recipe

Jambalaya Recipe

This Jambalaya recipe combines smoky sausage, tender chicken, succulent prawns, and flavorful vegetables with a bold Creole seasoning, creating a hearty, delicious, and aromatic one-pot meal. Perfect for any occasion.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Jambalaya Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 3

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 200 g 7oz andouille or smoked sausage, sliced into 0.5cm / 1/5" thick pieces (Note 1)
  • 180 g 6oz smoked bacon, chopped
  • 300 g 10oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm /1" chunks
  • 12 large prawns/shrimp raw, peeled (with or without tails)
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp 15g butter
  • 1 large onion chopped into 1.5 cm / 0.5" pieces
  • 2 celery ribs chopped into 1.5 cm / 0.5" pieces
  • 2 medium green bell peppers chopped into 1.5 cm / 0.5" pieces
  • 1.25 cups long grain rice uncooked (Note 2)
  • 2.5 cups 625ml low-sodium chicken broth/stock (Note 3)
  • 200 g 6.5oz crushed canned tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup green onions sliced, plus extra for garnish

Creole Seasoning Mix:

  • 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 4 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne powder adjust spice to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 180C/350F, suitable for all oven types.
  • Warm the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (Note 4).
  • Add the bacon and cook for about 30 seconds to start rendering the fat, then introduce the sausage slices. Cook until the sausages are nicely browned, roughly 3 minutes, and then transfer them to a bowl.
  • Place the chicken pieces into the pan and cook until they achieve a golden color on the outside. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked inside at this stage. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon and sausage.
  • Sear the prawns/shrimp in the same pan for about 1.5 minutes on each side, then set them aside in a separate bowl to be used later.
  • Add the butter to the pan, followed by the minced garlic, chopped onion, celery, and bell peppers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to soften.
  • Stir in the rice, ensuring each grain is coated with the oil.
  • Pour in the chicken broth, then add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, thyme, and the prepared seasoning mix.
  • Stir everything thoroughly, then reintroduce the chicken, sausages, and bacon (along with any accumulated juices) to the pan.
  • Once bubbles appear across most of the surface, give it another good stir. Ensure the rice is fully submerged, cover the pan with a lid, and transfer it to the preheated oven. (Refer to the video if needed).
  • Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and taste a few grains of rice (caution: it's hot!). If the rice is almost done (see Note 5 for the desired consistency), proceed to the next step. If the rice is still firm in the center, continue baking, checking every 5 minutes. Most ovens will require about 30 minutes of total cooking time (refer to Note 7).
  • Add the prawns/shrimp and green onions, stir gently but swiftly, cover the pan again, and return it to the oven for an additional 3 minutes to heat the prawns.
  • Take the pan out of the oven (refer to the video for the finished consistency), gently fluff the mixture, and serve. Garnish with extra green onions if desired.