Easy Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe | Classic Cajun Rice Dinner
A hearty one-pot Cajun jambalaya with chicken, andouille sausage, rice, and the holy trinity, packed with balanced heat and weeknight-easy steps. Brown the meats, build a flavorful base, and gently steam the rice for tender, fluffy grains.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (or another smoked sausage)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice (preferably converted or standard long grain)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5-oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (salt-free if possible; adjust salt to taste)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Lemon wedges or hot sauce, optional for serving
Instructions
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season with about 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper; slice the sausage and chop all vegetables.
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear and set aside to drain.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the sausage for 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sear the chicken until golden on two sides, about 4–5 minutes, then transfer to the plate with the sausage.
- Reduce heat to medium, add onion, bell pepper, and celery with a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, 5–6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and remaining Cajun seasoning and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, deglazing with a splash of broth to scrape up browned bits.
- Stir in the rinsed rice and cook for 1 minute to coat the grains.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes with their juices, bay leaf, and cayenne, then return the chicken and sausage with any accumulated juices to the pot.
- Bring to a lively simmer, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20–25 minutes, avoiding lifting the lid.
- Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5–10 minutes, then fluff gently with a fork and adjust salt, pepper, and heat to taste.
- Fold in green onions, garnish with parsley, and serve hot with lemon wedges or a dash of hot sauce.
Notes
Use long-grain rice for fluffy, separate grains. Keep the lid on during simmering and resting to avoid mushy rice. Taste and adjust seasoning based on the saltiness and heat of your sausage and Cajun seasoning. For less tomato-forward flavor, use half a can of tomatoes and add 1/2 cup extra broth. To add shrimp, stir in peeled raw shrimp during the last 5 minutes and steam until pink. Store leftovers up to 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen; reheat gently with a splash of broth.