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Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp is a spicy, savory Cajun dish full of meat, rice, and spices. This dish will make you feel like you are enjoying flavors right in New Orleans.
Featured with this recipe
This spicy jambalaya recipe with chicken, sausage, and shrimp is great comfort food all year round, but is delightful if you’re celebrating Mardi Gras! Chock full of meat, rice, lots of spices, veggies, and a kick of Tabasco, this dish is like a party in your mouth!
It’s a fun meal to serve your family on any night of the week or you can dress it up for a Mardi Gras party. You can control the spices too, so whether you have real heat lovers or kiddos who need a milder version, read on for all the options with this delightful Cajun dish!
Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp
Don’t let the list of ingredients startle you! These are mostly pantry staples and very simple to combine together. Add the seasonings, protein, and vegetables to have the best dinner combination all in one pot!
- Seasoning – Paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried oregano, all mixed together to make a beautiful color of seasonings and flavor!
- Oil – This will add flavor and saute the protein.
- Garlic – Starts off with a raw flavor and smell but has a soft and sweet buttery flavor when it is cooked.
- Chicken – Cut the boneless skinless chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces that are evenly cut.
- Polska kielbasa – Slice into pieces about ½ inch thick. Make sure they are cut evenly for the cooking process. This sausage is a thick, round sausage that comes packaged in a U shape. You can also use andouille sausage for another type of sausage.
- Shrimp – Uncooked, peeled, and deveined large shrimp give this dish an extra boost.
- Vegetables – Onions, celery, and red and green bell peppers, give the jambalaya a soft texture and crunch in every bite.
- Rice – Long grain rice is delicious and soaks in the jambalaya once it is cooked adding a boost of flavor in every bite. We love to use jasmine white rice.
- Chicken broth – Helps soak up the moisture in the homemade jambalaya during the cooking process. You can also use chicken stock. This adds flavor too!
- Diced tomatoes – Do not drain the can of tomatoes. This will give it more moisture as well as flavor all around.
- Worcestershire sauce – It is always had to pronounce but it is a savory and flavorful liquid that gives a smoky taste.
- Bay leaves – Add these in at the very end and then remove them before serving.
How to Make Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp
Easy jambalaya recipe is perfect to make on a busy weeknight! The combined flavors are so delicious together and continue to build onto each other throughout the cooking process. This authentic jambalaya is one of the best dinners!
- Stir together – Combine paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Saute – Heat oil in a large skillet and add garlic, chicken, Kielbasa, and shrimp. Saute for about 1 minute then add onion, celery, and peppers. Saute another minute or two.
- Season – Sprinkle with previously combined seasonings. Saute until vegetables become soft and onion becomes translucent.
- Boil – Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 1 minute, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low for about 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove bay leaves and serve with Tabasco sauce.
So Many Options for this Recipe
Make this homemade jambalaya just the way you like it with these variations and modifications! From protein, making it spicy, and adding in bell peppers that add texture and flavor. These are just a few ways to create the best jambalaya recipe!
- Protein – Feel free to use all of the meats like chicken, pork, and shrimp or just one or two of them depending on your taste.
- Spicy – I love adding a good amount of Tabasco at the end to spice things up a bit but if Tabasco is a bit much for you, just leave it out. Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes also help add heat.
- Peppers – I like to add several colors of peppers into my Jambalaya dish since the red, yellow, orange, and green colors of those peppers make it seem much more festive.
- Too dry – If the rice seems too dry when you’re done cooking or if it seems too pasty, just add a bit more chicken broth.
“We thought this jambalaya was delicious! This recipe is a total keeper!”
-Wilhelmina
What to Serve with Jambalaya
The spicy and rich flavors of this Mardi Gras dish pair so well with lots of side dishes. Serve with some delicious New Orleans Style Beignet Recipes for dessert and a few of these delicious sides:
Frequently Asked Questions
Jambalaya is a stew that is cooked with rice whereas gumbo is a thick stew that the rice is served separately. They both share similar seasonings, spices, and cooked vegetables.
Jambalaya is a savory dish and is very popular in Louisiana. It is made during Mardi Gras and down south. Jambalaya has a few types of meat cooked together like pork, chicken, seafood, and even rabbit. Various seasonings, vegetables, stock, and rice are also added to the pot.
Jambalaya is actually both cajun and creole dishes. They each have and share traditional ingredients for each dish.
It is more on the dry side! Jambalaya is a little pasty meaning it is wet and thick but will be dry once it is fully cooked. It is not meant to be a soup.
Storing Leftover Jambalaya
Place the leftover jambalaya in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four to six days. Make this ahead of time and use it for meal prep during throughout the week with a side salad.
More Cajun Spicy Recipes
Try our favorite cajun recipes for dinner! There are delicious and flavorful recipes that are full of all things cajun.
Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 3 Tablespoons oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound chicken cut into small pieces
- 1 pound Polska Kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut into pieces
- 10 shrimp uncooked peeled & de-veined
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup red and/or green bell peppers chopped
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth add up to ½ c. more if needed
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Combine paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet and add garlic, chicken, Kielbasa, and shrimp. Saute for about 1 minute then add onion, celery and peppers. Saute another minute or two.
- Sprinkle with previously combined seasonings. Saute until vegetables become soft and onion becomes translucent.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 1 minute, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low for about 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender (if rice seems to be too dry or pasty at the end– add more chicken broth).
- Remove bay leaves and serve with Tabasco sauce.
We thought this jambalaya was delicious! This recipe is a total keeper!
This jambalaya looks so delicious and flavourful! Can’t wait to make it for my family!
How come only 10-12 shrimp .. I have never seen that little of a amount in jambalaya ..
You can add more if you would like, I reduced the amount because I also added chicken and sausage (and I have a family that doesn’t enjoy shrimp as much as I do 😉
I am so confused about Stephanie’s post. Paprika is not a liquid it’s a powder. paprika is not spicy. I wonder what she used.
I checked so many times when I was trying to figure out what went wrong and it says paprika. I even tasted it straight from the bottle and it is so spicy. I was always under the impression that paprika isn’t spicy either, but this bottle was. So maybe the manufacturer messed up and labled it wrong. I’ll go buy a new bottle. Thanks for responding.
Yeah sorry it turned out so spicy! Maybe get a different brand?
I made this dish tonight and it is SO spicey. I am just wondering if there is a typo with the paprika–2Tbs? I can’t even eat this it is burning my lips and mouth so badly. Maybe Jambalaya is supposed to be this spicey, but I can’t see an 18 mo old eating this like you talked about in your discription. I am going to give it another try and adjust the spices. Just a warning to others who try this recipe–adjust the paprika!!
Is your paprika mislabeled???? Paprika shouldn’t be spicy at all. Were you possibly putting in cayenne? The only spicy thing in it is the hot sauce or sriracha you add afterwards. I have made this several times and the final product has never been spicy.
Its not the paprika… that is all color… maybe less cayenne… children in the south eat spice all the time.. most people say they were born eating red beans and rice down here.. (joke) but there is no true recipe with southern cooking. Just adjust to taste.
I LOVE this recipie it is the best with a little bit of tabasco sauce thanks!