CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA

Classic Louisiana Comfort in One Pot

Chicken and sausage jambalaya is the heart of Louisiana cooking—bold, smoky, and deeply satisfying. This iconic one-pot dish combines tender chicken, spicy smoked sausage, aromatic vegetables, and seasoned rice into a meal that feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day.

Below are three foolproof chicken and sausage jambalaya recipes, plus expert tips to help you nail the flavor every time.

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Classic Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya (Creole Style)

This version includes tomatoes for a rich, slightly saucy finish.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, diced

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups long-grain rice

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

• 1½ tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp cayenne (optional)

• Salt & black pepper

• 2 bay leaves

• Green onions for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Brown sausage; remove and set aside.

3. Brown chicken in the same pot; remove.

4. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft.

5. Add garlic and spices; stir until fragrant.

6. Return chicken and sausage to pot.

7. Add rice, broth, tomatoes, and bay leaves.

8. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes.

9. Rest 5 minutes, fluff, garnish, and serve.

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Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya (No Tomatoes)

Smokier and drier, this Cajun-style jambalaya highlights browned meats and spices.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 12 oz smoked sausage

• 1 lb chicken thighs

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• 2 celery stalks

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 cups long-grain rice

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1½ tsp Cajun seasoning

• 1 tsp paprika

• ½ tsp thyme

• ¼–½ tsp cayenne

• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Brown sausage deeply; remove.

2. Brown chicken until golden; remove.

3. Cook vegetables in rendered fat.

4. Add garlic and seasonings.

5. Stir in rice until lightly toasted.

6. Add broth, bay leaves, sausage, and chicken.

7. Cover and simmer 25–30 minutes.

8. Rest and fluff before serving.

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Quick Weeknight Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Ready in about 35 minutes—perfect for busy nights.

Ingredients

• 10 oz smoked sausage

• 1 lb rotisserie chicken, shredded

• 1 small onion

• 1 bell pepper

• 1 cup instant or parboiled rice

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup diced tomatoes

• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Instructions

1. Brown sausage in skillet.

2. Add onion and pepper; cook until soft.

3. Stir in rice, broth, tomatoes, and seasoning.

4. Simmer 15 minutes.

5. Add chicken, heat through, and serve.

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Pro Tips for Perfect Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

• Use chicken thighs for juicier results

• Brown meat well for deeper flavor

• Don’t stir rice while simmering

• Let jambalaya rest before serving

• Taste and adjust seasoning at the end

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Creole vs Cajun Chicken Jambalaya

Style	Tomatoes	Texture	Flavor
Creole	Yes	Moist	Balanced, herby
Cajun	No	Drier	Smoky, bold

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Storage & Reheating

• Refrigerate: Up to 4 days

• Freeze: Up to 3 months

• Reheat: Stovetop with splash of broth

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Final Thoughts

Chicken and sausage jambalaya is a timeless, crowd-pleasing dish that delivers bold flavor with simple ingredients. Whether you prefer Creole, Cajun, or a quick weeknight version, these recipes guarantee comfort in every bite.

OTHER RECIPES

JAMBALAYA RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. smoked pork sausage (sliced)
• 1 lb. boneless chicken thighs (or breasts if you don’t like dark meat) dark=more flavor
• 3 c. white long grain rice
• 6 c. water
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 chopped white onion
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 3 tsp. of chopped/minced garlic
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 tbsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp. Pepper (or to taste)
• 3-4 drops of kitchen bouquet sauce (optional – this is for darker color)
• A few sprinkles of cayenne pepper
• Robert’s Louisiana seasoning (or "Season All") – teaspoon
• 1 tsp. worchestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce
• 1 "splash" of beer

JAMBALAYA RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
In a large pot over medium/high heat "brown" your sliced sausage in the vegetable oil for approximately 5-7 minutes, stirring and turning – you want it to look cooked, and the bottom of the pot to be dark – the sausage will have a tendency to "stick" to the bottom, this is OK, that’s when you know it’s time to remove the sausage.

Repeat sausage step, except this time with the chicken – remove from heat. *

Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. 

Sautee in the same pot until transparent and covered with the dark remains of Put your chicken and sausage back in the pot, along with the water. Also, add your seasonings, worchestershire, and Kitchen bouquet – While stirring occasionally, bring to a full boil

Add rice, bullion cubes, hot sauce, & beer— Stir occasionally and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to simmer, and cover for 1 hour. – DO NOT REMOVE LID DURING THIS TIME
Remove lid, turn off heat, serve up and enjoy the Jambalaya recipe of chicken and sausage !
Jambalaya recipe: jambalaya-skillet.

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