This easy one pot jambalaya is made with chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage. The sofrito and spices make this dish particularly delightful. All ingredients come together to make a delicious and filling meal!
Comfort food right here! For some reason, I really like rice dishes. They make me feel so happy and satisfied, and this one pot jambalaya is definitely one of my favorites. All the ingredients come together to make one filling and delightful dish.
Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a classic Louisiana dish. It is traditionally made with smoked sausage and other meats, such as chicken and shrimp. I made my one pot jambalaya with the following:
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- Cajun-seasoned chicken
- Andouille sausage
- Shrimp
- Sofrito (the “Holy Trinity” in Cajun cooking)
- Long grain rice
- Old Bay seasoning and other spices
- Crushed tomatoes
- Chicken broth
Although these are the star ingredients, it is definitely a very versatile dish. You can put your own spin to it by adding extra veggies like peas, or other meats like pork, chorizo, or turkey.
Sofrito
Now, let’s talk about the famous sofrito. It is a base made of finely diced vegetables sautéed in oil until fragrant, and is commonly used in Spanish, Italian, and Latin American cooking.
In Cajun cooking, sofrito (also known as the “Holy Trinity”) is the base for many traditional dishes. It is made up of finely diced onion, celery, and green bell peppers. The vegetables are sautéed with some olive oil until tender and aromatic, and then combined with spices and herbs, like thyme, Old Bay seasoning, and cayenne pepper. This results in a base that melts into the the rest of the dish’s ingredients, amplifying overall flavors.
The combination of cajun-seasoned chicken, browned andouille sausage, and shrimp sounds so perfect to me. Oh, and cooking the rice and the meats in chicken broth and crushed tomatoes just makes this dish excellent. I gotta say, the best things in life definitely come in one pot!
To make it even better, serve it with my homemade Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread. It’s moist, buttery, and very easy to make!
And please don’t forget to pin this recipe!
Kitchen Tips
- If you can’t find andouille sausage, I’d recommend another type of smoked sausage, such as Kielbasa.
- Make sure you brown the chicken and sausage first. Not only does this make the meat tastier, but it also creates brown bits in the pot. Brown bits are packed with flavor, which creates another layer of depth for the sofrito.
- Add the shrimp last since they cook really fast.
- After you remove the jambalaya from the heat, let it sit for 15 minutes to let the liquid further absorb.
One Pot Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 pound cubed chicken breasts - (about 2 medium chicken breasts)
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- ¾ pound smoked andouille sausage, sliced
- Olive oil
- 2 stalks celery - finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper - seeded and finely chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound large shrimp - peeled and deveined
- Sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, season the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the seasonings penetrate.
- In a separate bowl, season shrimp with a little bit of olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste. Place back in the refrigerator until it is time to cook them.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté until all sides are golden brown. Add the sausage and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer chicken and sausage into a bowl and set aside. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this point, but will finish cooking later.
- To the same pot, add the onions, green bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Add thyme, old bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper). Add tomato paste and stir to coat.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken, and sausage. Cook, covered, for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the rice, and add the chicken broth, mixing to combine. Add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
- Then layer the shrimp on top, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir the jambalaya to fully combine. It will be somewhat wet.
- Remove from heat, stir slightly, and let sit for about 15 more minutes before serving to let to flavors and liquid further absorb. Serve and top with thinly sliced green onions.
Marcy says
I changed the recipe a bit by using chicken, andouille and hot link sausages and adding the shrimp. I also prefer not add rice to the recipe and just pour this dish over my rice. I also add a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce and a dash of crystal hot sauce. It’s very tasty and delish!
Scott Cooper says
I’ve consumed quite a bit of Cajun cooking over the years. This recipe is classic. Adding veggies to enhance the basic recipe, but its preparation does not need to be altered, I.e. cooking the rice separately. The long grain rice comes out perfectly cook.
Tania says
Thank you, Scott!
Lacey Wilson says
This tastes soooo good! I loved it..I made a few changes after reading other reviews I added a can of diced tomates with green chilis (drained) and made the rice separate and added it added it at the end so it wouldn’t be gooey or sticky…other than that I followed the recipe and it was fantastic!
Tania says
Thank you, Lacey!