This Authentic Jambalaya recipe is loaded with plump shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, crushed tomatoes and rice bursting with bold Creole flavor. A super easy, set-and-forget slow cooker recipe that will transport you straight to New Orleans!
Breaking out the slow cooker for jambalaya makes life soooo easy. It takes just 15 minutes of your time to prep then the slow cooker does the rest! If you’d rather use a Dutch oven, stovetop instructions are included below!👇
Spending time in the Big Easy is a culinary adventure to say least! My first time there was for Jazz Fest in the 1990s (feel free to guess my age in the comments!😄). Kidding aside, all of the music and spicy foods were incredible and exceeded expectations!
And it's held on fairgrounds outside the city so it’s a chill experience compared to Mardi Gras (if that’s your jam, like me😉).
Sipping chicory coffee with beignets in the French Quarter, and diving into gumbo and etouffee are sure wins. Just as jambalaya is one of our favorite Creole dishes, so this recipe is in regular rotation in our house throughout the year!
If you're a fan of traditional Louisiana cooking like us, be sure to check out our quick and easy Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Grits and Seared Shrimp Po’ Boys!
And if you like the jambalaya's combo of proteins, this Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Stew is for you!
Jump to:
- Creole vs Cajun Jambalaya
- Why You’ll Love this Easy Jambalaya Recipe
- Main Ingredients in Authentic New Orleans Jambalaya
- Cooking Steps for Slow Cooker Creole Jambalaya
- Authentic Jambalaya Recipe Tips
- What to Serve with Jambalaya
- Authentic Jambalaya Recipe FAQs
- More Delicious Slow Cooker and One-Pot Recipes!
- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Creole vs Cajun Jambalaya
Key components of any authentic Cajun or Creole jambalaya recipe include cooking shrimp, chicken, sausage, rice, the 'holy trinity' of onion, celery and green bell pepper with bold, spicy seasoning.
The main difference is the Creole version, known as ‘red jambalaya’, includes tomatoes whereas the Cajun version doesn't. So Cajun-style is a brown jambalaya that's a little drier.
Creole food is thought of as ‘city cooking’ with European and African influences. Cajun cooking is also full of flavor but more home-style found further outside the city.
Why You’ll Love this Easy Jambalaya Recipe
- Loaded with layers of flavor!
- Takes just 15 minutes of your time when using a slow cooker.
- Great for meal prep and you can freeze jambalaya up to 3 months!
- One-pot meal whether you use a slow cooker or Dutch oven.
- Gluten free, guaranteed crowd pleaser!
Main Ingredients in Authentic New Orleans Jambalaya
- Sausage – Andouille, chorizo or smoked pork sausage
- Seafood – Large shrimp or crawfish
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- Ham Hock - Adds awesome smoky flavor into anything slow cooked
- Holy Trinity – Onion, celery and green pepper (I added yellow too💛)
- Cajun Seasoning – Store-bought or homemade
- Spices – Smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, parsley, bay leaves
- White Rice – Long grain is traditional but short grain works
- Tomatoes – Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste
- Broth – Chicken broth or bone broth
- Garnish – Green onions and fresh parsley
DIY or Buy Creole/Cajun Seasoning
Seasoning blends are widely available at grocery stores, but they take just minutes to stir up on your own to have a batch at your fingertips. I use Emeril Lagasse’s Creole Essence recipe so I always have this versatile seasoning on hand.
Cooking Steps for Slow Cooker Creole Jambalaya
Once you have your ingredients ready to go, it’s only a matter of layering them in and pressing on! To get things started, the chicken, andouille and ham hock go in first.
Next up are the vegetables, garlic, seasonings, kosher salt and black pepper.
The whole can of tomatoes, chicken broth and tomato paste go in next.
You’ll want to break up the tomatoes a bit with a wooden spoon and give everything a good stir. Then set in bay leaves. Cover and cook!
When there’s 15 minutes left of cooking time, add the shrimp and remove the chicken and ham hock.
Shred the tender chicken into small pieces with a couple forks and take off whatever meat you can from the ham hock then discard.
Return chicken and ham to the slow cooker. Once the shrimp are just opaque, you can either stir in cooked rice or serve on the side.
Serve the jambalaya straight from the crock pot or from a large bowl. Top with sliced green onion, fresh parsley and enjoy!
Authentic Jambalaya Recipe Tips
- Let meats and vegetables sit at room temperature 30-45 minutes before layering in the slow cooker.
- If you want to cook the rice with the jambalaya, add it when there is 30 minutes left of cooking time. Then give it a good stir when adding in the shrimp.
- Shrimp tails can be left on or removed.
- When done cooking, taste and adjust the seasoning. Add hot sauce or cayenne pepper to kick up the spice level as desired.
- Keep in mind the type of sausage you use will heavily influence the spiciness of the dish.
Dutch Oven Instructions
I love my crock pot for this recipe when not in the stirring mood. But if you don't want to wait as long to enjoy it, stovetop instructions take just an hour.😉
- Over medium-high heat, cook chicken and sausage until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the onion, bell peppers and celery for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and seasonings and cook 1-2 minutes more until aromatic.
- Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock and tomato paste. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up brownings from the bottom of the pan and break up the tomatoes. Then bring to a boil.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups uncooked rice and add meats back to the pot. Nestle in ham hock and bay leaves. Reduce to medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes. Be sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so, so it doesn’t burn.
- When the rice is just about tender add the shrimp and cook 5-10 minutes until they’re just opaque. Add more broth if the jambalaya seems dry. Adjust seasonings and serve!
What to Serve with Jambalaya
This is a hearty dish that can certainly be served on its own, but there are times you'll want a broader menu. Here are a few suggestions and 20 more sides that go with jambalaya!
- Our popular Crisp Green Citrus Salad
- Balsamic Roasted Green Vegetables
- Broccolini Salad with White Beans
Authentic Jambalaya Recipe FAQs
You can add cooked or uncooked rice! It can be cooked in the tomatoes, stock and seasonings of the jambalaya or cooked separately. I prefer keeping cooked rice on the side so everyone can mix in as much as they want, especially when feeding a crowd.
You sure can! Replace chicken stock with vegetable broth and use hearty veggies like carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli or cauliflower. You can also add beans. When slow cooking, check to see if the vegetables are tender after three hours.
Gumbo is a soupy stew with more liquid than jambalaya and is known for its dark roux and having okra. Rice is typically served alongside gumbo but is not considered a primary component of the dish as it is with jambalaya.
It comes from the Provençal word jambalaia, which means a mish mash or mixup, combined with pilaf (pilau) of rice.
More Delicious Slow Cooker and One-Pot Recipes!
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📋 Recipe
Authentic Jambalaya Recipe (Creole-Style)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs , boneless, skinless
- 12 ounces andouille sausage , cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 1 yellow bell pepper , chopped
- 1 green bell pepper , chopped
- 1 large onion , chopped
- 3 celery stalks , chopped
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes and juices
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black ground pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ pounds raw shrimp (21-25 ct), peeled and deveined
- 4 cups cooked rice
- Sliced green onion and fresh herbs , for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Add the sausage slices and ham hock.
- Spread the bell peppers, onion, celery and garlic over top.
- Add parsley, Cajun seasoning, paprika, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add tomatoes with juices, tomato paste and chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to break up tomatoes and stir ingredients to combine. Top with bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5* hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- Add the shrimp during the last 15 minutes of cooking and remove the ham hock and chicken.
- Shred the chicken and remove any meat from the ham hock then discard. Return shredded chicken and ham to the slow cooker.
- Once shrimp are opaque, either stir rice into the slow cooker and transfer to a serving bowl, or serve rice alongside so everyone can take as much as they want.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and fresh herbs. Enjoy!
Notes
- Let meats and vegetables sit at room temperature 30-45 minutes before layering in the slow cooker.
- If you want to cook the rice with the jambalaya, add it when there is 30 minutes left of cooking time. Then give it a stir when adding in the shrimp.
- Shrimp tails can be left on or removed.
- When done cooking, taste and adjust the seasoning. Add hot sauce or cayenne pepper to kick up the spice level as desired.
- Keep in mind the type of sausage you use will heavily influence the spiciness of the dish.
Nutrition
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Ben | Havocinthekitchen says
I haven't made a Jambalaya for a so long time (The last time I had a restaurant version, but it was SO hot that I barely could finish it up). This looks utterly comforting, inviting, and perfectly done. Great job!
Kim Peterson says
Thanks, Ben! Not a fan of too much spice either so would be up your alley!
Michelle says
Kim, this jambalaya looks delicious and so full of flavour! Love that I can slap it in the slow cooker and let it do its thing. I need to make this ASAP!
Kim Peterson says
Thanks Michelle! The ROI on this set-and-forget recipe is HUGE!😄
Marie says
Made this and it’s absolutely sensational. So much flavour - me and hubby enjoyed it for lunches the next 2 days as well
Kim Peterson says
That's awesome Marie! So happy you both enjoyed it!! Love the leftovers too!
Marie says
Yum, yum, and triple yum! My hubby makes something similar which is a chicken and chorizo gumbo but he looooves to slow cook and I love shrimp so I'm bookmarking this one for him to make. I'm pretty sure as soon as he hears the words slow cooker, he'll totally stray from his standard recipe.
Kim Peterson says
Thanks so much Marie!! I'm a huge fan of slow cooking too. There's chicken and chorizo in this recipe as well! A win-win for you both! Now all I need is one of your amazing desserts!