Description
Spicy Cajun jambalaya recipe brings Louisiana’s bold flavors to home kitchens with authentic Creole ingredients. Hearty rice dishes combining shrimp, sausage, and chicken create memorable meals you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 200 g (7 oz) shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 200 g (7 oz) smoked andouille sausage (or chorizo, sliced)
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- 1 (400 g / 14 oz) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 3 cups chicken broth (or seafood broth for extra flavor)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 green onions (chopped)
- Fresh parsley (chopped)
- Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp Creole seasoning (or Cajun seasoning)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Searing Proteins: Heat olive oil in a large skillet and caramelize sausage slices until golden, then remove. Repeat the process with chicken pieces, achieving a deep bronze color and setting aside.
- Vegetable Foundation: In the same pan, sauté onions, bell peppers, and celery until translucent. Introduce garlic and a symphony of spices – paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, and Creole seasoning – creating an aromatic base.
- Liquid Integration: Fold rice into the vegetable mixture, incorporating diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Nestle bay leaves and splash Worcestershire sauce for depth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice absorbs the liquid.
- Protein Reunion: Return sausage and chicken to the pan, gently nestling them into the rice. Arrange shrimp on top, cover, and cook until they transform into a delicate pink, signaling perfect doneness.
- Finishing Touch: Remove bay leaves, garnish with freshly chopped green onions and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges, allowing diners to brighten their jambalaya with a citrusy zest.
Notes
- Protein Searing Strategy: Brown meats thoroughly before adding to rice for deep, caramelized flavor development and enhanced taste complexity.
- Vegetable Sauté Technique: Cut vegetables uniformly and cook until translucent to ensure balanced texture and prevent overcrowding the pan.
- Spice Layering Approach: Toast spices briefly with vegetables to release essential oils and intensify their aromatic profiles before liquid integration.
- Rice Moisture Management: Use precise liquid-to-rice ratio and maintain low, steady simmer to prevent burning and achieve perfect rice consistency without becoming mushy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Cajun/Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg