Jambalaya
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Make authentic-tasting jambalaya at home with this one-pot recipe featuring chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp.
Jambalaya is one of Louisiana’s most iconic dishes—a one-pot rice meal with roots in West African, French, and Spanish cooking traditions. The name likely comes from the Provençal word jambalaia, meaning “a mix” or “medley,” which perfectly captures the spirit of the dish: rice cooked with a little bit of everything.
This version, adapted from When Southern Women Cook by America’s Test Kitchen, features chicken, smoky andouille sausage, and shrimp cooked together in a well-seasoned broth with vegetables and spices. It’s a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish that’s just as perfect for a Sunday night family dinner as it is for a casual get-together. Add a simple green salad, if you like, and an ice-cold beer or a glass of wine, and dinner is served.
What You’ll Need To Make Jambalaya
- Chicken, sausage & shrimp: A classic Cajun combination. Chicken thighs stay juicy, andouille sausage adds smoky depth, and the shrimp—added at the end—cook in just a few minutes so they don’t overdo it.
- Onion, celery, bell pepper & garlic: The Cajun “holy trinity” (plus garlic). This mix forms the aromatic base of the dish—dice everything small so it softens evenly and blends right into the jambalaya.
- Chicken broth, clam juice, diced tomatoes, thyme & cayenne: Together they create a rich, savory cooking liquid that gives the rice its signature character. The clam juice brings a subtle brininess that ties in with the shrimp, while thyme and cayenne keep the flavors balanced and lively.
- Rice: Long-grain converted rice (like Ben’s Original) holds up beautifully—it absorbs the liquid without turning mushy, even if slightly overcooked.
- Fresh Parsley: A handful stirred in at the end or scattered on top adds a pop of freshness and color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Season and brown the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof soup pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, flipping once, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Step 2. Brown the sausage. Add the sausage to the fat left in the pot and cook, stirring often, until it’s nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the bowl with the chicken.
Step 3. Sauté the vegetables. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the fat in the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, being careful not to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute longer.
Step 4. Add the liquids, seasonings, chicken, and sausage. Pour in the chicken broth, clam juice, diced tomatoes, thyme, and cayenne. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot—they add great flavor. Return the chicken and sausage (along with any juices) to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.
Step 5. Add the rice. Stir in the rice, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Bake on the lower-middle rack at 350°F until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes, giving it a gentle stir once halfway through.
Pro tip: Finishing the jambalaya in the oven (instead of on the stovetop) helps the rice cook evenly and stay light and fluffy without scorching on the bottom.
Step 6. Add the shrimp. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Stir the shrimp into the rice mixture, cover, and bake until opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 7. Finish the dish. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat. Gently stir the chicken and parsley (if using) into the rice. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cover and let it sit for about 5 minutes so the chicken warms through—then dig in and enjoy!
More Cozy Southern Dishes Packed WiTh Flavor
Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1¾ lbs/794 g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 13 oz Andouille sausage, sliced ¼-inch (6-mm) thick
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 (8-oz) bottle clam juice
- 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, well drained
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups long-grain white rice (see note)
- 1 lb extra-large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Season the chicken all over with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-proof soup pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown the chicken on both sides, flipping once, about 8 minutes total; transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the sausage to the fat left in the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add to the bowl with the chicken.
- Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the fat in the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more (do not brown). Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the chicken broth, clam juice, diced tomatoes, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken and sausage back to the pot, along with any accumulated juices, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir to combine. Cover the pot, place in the oven, and cook until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes, gently stirring the rice once halfway through cooking.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Stir the shrimp into the rice mixture, cover, and continue to cook in the oven until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. Using two spoons, pull the chicken off the bones; discard skin and bones.
- Gently stir the pulled chicken and parsley (if using) into the rice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and let sit until the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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