Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

A Louisiana classic made with spicy andouille sausage, tender chicken, and seasoned rice. This one-pot jambalaya blends Cajun and Creole flavors into a bold, hearty dish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Cajun, Creole

Keyword jambalaya, one pot meals

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 40

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 668kcal

Author Lauren LeBlanc

Equipment

Large oven safe Dutch oven with lid at least a 6 quart. Pictured is an 8 quart Magnalite.

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 stalks celery
6 cloves garlic
5 green onions
1 pound andouille sausage or smoked sausage
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon butter or bacon grease
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 cups long grain white rice uncooked
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
2–2½ cups chicken stock *see note
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce
2 bay leaves

Instructions

PREP: Finely chop onion, bell pepper, and celery. Mince garlic. Thinly slice green onions. Cut sausage into ⅓-inch half circles. Cut chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and pat them dry.
1 large yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 2 stalks celery, 6 cloves garlic, 5 green onions, 1 pound andouille sausage, 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
SEASON: Mix garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, black pepper, kosher salt, and cayenne. Season chicken evenly.
2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
SEAR: Heat a large oven-safe dutch oven over medium-high heat, and melt butter or bacon grease. Sear sausage until nicely browned, about 8–10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Next sear chicken in 2 batches until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove from pot.
1 tablespoon butter or bacon grease
SAUTÉ: Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. The moisture from the vegetables should start to loosen up the fond from the pot.
CARAMELIZE: Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes until the trinity is caramelized and darkened. Turn heat lower as the vegetables caramelize. If it starts to stick, lower heat and add a splash of water. Next, stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the tomato paste darkens.
1 teaspoon tomato paste
PREHEAT: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F and place rack in the lower third.
TOAST: Stir in rice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.
2 cups long grain white rice
SIMMER: Add diced tomatoes, chicken stock, browning sauce, half the green onions, sausage and chicken with juices. Stir well, then add bay leaves. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour. (**see note about pot type**)
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, 2–2½ cups chicken stock *see note, 1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce, 2 bay leaves
STEAM: Remove pot from the oven and stir once to loosen the bottom. Cover and let steam, off heat, on the counter for 10–15 minutes. If the rice seems slightly undercooked, it will finish cooking during this time.
SERVE: Remove the bay leaves. Stir in remaining green onions. Serve hot with a dash of hot sauce.

Notes

Substitute andouille for smoked sausage.
Substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts if needed, but they'll be drier.
Cooking time and liquid vary by pot. In a heavy cast iron Dutch oven, jambalaya takes about 1 hour with 2 cups stock in the oven. In lighter aluminum pots like Magnalite, allow up to 1½ hours and add up to ½ cup more stock if needed. Check the rice after 1 hour; if it’s still crunchy, cover and cook for another 15–20 minutes.

Nutrition