Classic Jambalaya

This classic Creole Jambalaya recipe has all the traditional flavors of Louisiana cuisine! This one-pan dish consists of a mixture of chicken, sausage, bacon, prawns, shrimp, bell peppers, celery, onions, a rich tomato broth, long-grain rice, and a Creole seasoning mix. 

Enjoy this heart and flavorful meal as is or with a side of crusty bread.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why I love this recipe
• 🛒 Ingredients
• 🗒 Instructions
• 🔪 Equipment
• 🤔 FAQs
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Tips
• 📚 Variations
• 🥫 Storage
• 📗 Related Recipes
• 🍽 Serve with
• 📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
• 📝 Recipe Card
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

❤️ Why I love this recipe

• It’s a flavor-packed one-pan meal that’s easy to make and loved by most.
• Cooking this dish on the stove and oven ensures evenly cooked and fluffy rice.
• Jambalaya is a wholesome and balanced meal with a variety of protein, carb-rich rice, and softened vegetables.

Take a culinary trip to New Orleans by making this easy and delicious one-pan Jambalaya in the comfort of your kitchen!

🛒 Ingredients

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Note: The full list of this one-pot jambalaya recipe ingredients with their amounts and options are in recipe card below.

• vegetable oil -- for sautéing
• smoked bacon -- instead of regular adds depth and additional flavor
• andouille or smoked sausage -- adds a smokey flavor to the dish
• chicken thighs -- skinless and boneless
• shrimp -- peeled and without tails
• garlic -- minced for seasoning and flavor
• butter -- for flavor and sautéing
• onion -- seasoning and flavor
• celery -- part of the flavor trinity
• green bell pepper-- a must in the flavor trinity
• long grain rice -- the best rice for the texture in the finished dish.
• chicken broth -- low-sodium works best here. The spice mix usually has salt in it
• crushed canned tomato -- one of the main ingredients in the dish and adds flavor
• tomato paste -- adds a rich tomato taste
• Creole seasoning -- for the classic seasoning of the Jambalaya dish. If using Slap Ya Mamma it is pretty spicy so you might want to adjust.
• green onions -- as a garnish and additional taste

🗒 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven and add the bacon, cooking it for 30 seconds for the fat to start melting.
2. Add the sausages.
3. Cook until golden (about 3 minutes). Remove the sausage and bacon from the skillet.
4. Add the chicken and cook until golden. Remove and set aside with the cooked sausage and bacon.

5. Add the prawns and shrimp to the pan.
6. Sear the prawns and shrimp on each side for 1.5 minutes. Transfer them to a separate bowl for use later.
7. Add butter to the pan.
8. Add garlic, onion, and celery.

9. Add the bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the ingredients slightly soften.
10. Add the rice.
11. Stir to coat the rice in the melted butter and softened vegetables.
12. Add chicken broth, canned tomato, tomato paste, and Creole seasoning mix.

13. Stir well. Add the chicken, sausage, bacon, and prawns. When bubbles surface, stir well again and then transfer the pan to the oven with the lid to cook for 20 - 30 minutes at 350F.
14. Remove the pan from the oven and add the prawns and shrimp, and green onions.
15. Stir them through the baked mixture gently and return the pan to the oven for about 3 minutes just to heat the prawns and shrimp.
16. Remove from the oven and fluff the mixture before serving.

🔪 Equipment

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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.

• Dutch oven or deep heavy skillet
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Digital kitchen scale
• measuring cups
• liquid measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• Wood mixing spoon

🤔 FAQs

Questions frequently asked about making this Spicy Jambalaya recipe.

👩🏻‍🍳 Tips

• You don’t need to cook the chicken through in the pan as it continues to cook later in the recipe. The same goes for the bacon and sausage. 
• Only add the shrimp, prawns, and green onions to the mixture towards the end of the baking time otherwise, the shrimp and prawns will become tough and rubbery, and the green onions will wilt. 
• Check on the rice after 20 minutes in the oven. If the center of the rice grains is still firm, continue to cook the mixture, checking in the rice every 5 minutes. 
• Use low-sodium chicken broth since this recipe includes salt and Creole seasoning mix.

📚 Variations

• Make Creole seasoning from scratch by combining 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme), 4 teaspoons of sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of salt. 
• Use andouille sausages, smoked sausages, or regular sausages. 
• You can also use medium and short-grain rice, but the rice will be stickier than long-grain rice. 
• You can cook this Jambalaya only on the stove, but you'll need to be careful to cook the rice all the way through without being overly soft, mushy, or gluey on the outside.

🥫 Storage

Store leftover Jambalaya in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze Jambalaya for up to 3 months and reheat it on the stove, being careful not to turn the cooked rice into mush. 

📗 Related Recipes

If you love Louisiana-inspired recipes as much as I do, then be sure to try these mouth-watering dishes:

• Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta - A 30-minute one-pan meal consisting of Cajun seasoned chicken, tender penne pasta, veggies, and a rich and creamy tomato sauce. 
• Louisiana Shrimp Gumbo - This Louisiana seafood gumbo recipe is a stew rich in the flavors of shrimp and smoked sausage. 
• Spicy Shrimp Creole With Italian Rustic Polenta - Juicy shrimp in a rich tomato sauce seasoned with garlic, onion, cayenne, and hot sauce. Serve with rustic polenta or white rice. 
• New Orleans Shrimp and Grits – Warm your soul with our Cajun Shrimp and Grits. It is a New Orleans recipe bursting with Southern charm.

🍽 Serve with

This Jambalaya is a wholesome meal without the need for any side dishes. You could pair it with a slice of crusty bread or a light green salad. 

📞 Chiacchierata (chat)

There’s no disputing my love for flavor-rich Louisiana cuisine, so it only made sense to share my Jambalaya recipe that I’ve adapted slightly over the years, cooking it partly on the stove and partly in the oven for the best fluffy rice - resulting in juicy and wet Jambalaya without it being soggy or mushy!

Give it a try - you won’t regret it!

And if you love trying different flavor combinations, try our Chicken and Rice Casserole that features Southwest seasoning and lots of cheese. This is an easy make ahead casserole that is a family favorite.

Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!

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📝 Recipe Card

This Creole Jambalaya recipe is packed with rich, deep flavors from smoked sausage, bacon chicken, and seafood cooked in a tomato broth alongside classic Jambalaya veggies and rice.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

📖 Recipe