Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 lb shrimp medium, peeled and deveined OR 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (or use rotisserie chicken)
- 1 lb smoked sausage sliced
- 1 ½ tsp minced garlic or 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery chopped
- 1-2 bell pepper chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cups white rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Cajun seasoning to taste
- Worcestershire sauce optional, for seasoning shrimp
Don't Want to Plan? I Got You.Every Saturday I share a full week of dinners, sides, and a dessert — with the grocery list already done. Come grab this week's Weekly Meal Plans!Method Start Cooking
- Season shrimp (or chicken) with Cajun seasoning and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Cook in butter and/or oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add more butter or oil to the pot if needed. Sauté celery, onion, and bell peppers until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add sliced sausage and cook until browned.
- Season everything with salt, pepper, and Cajun or Creole seasoning.
- Add rice and let it toast in the pot for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes, until rice is cooked through and liquid is absorbed.
- Taste and adjust seasonings — the rice absorbs a lot, so add more salt or Cajun seasoning as needed.
- Add shrimp or chicken back to the pot and stir to combine. Let warm for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve hot with warm black beans and crusty bread.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
If making two pots (one shrimp, one chicken), run both pots through the same method simultaneously. Use rotisserie chicken as a great time-saving shortcut for the chicken version.
Don't skip re-seasoning at the end — the rice absorbs a lot of the flavor as it simmers and the dish can taste underseasoned before that final adjustment. Jambalaya reheats beautifully with a small splash of chicken broth to loosen it back up.
Four Weeks of Family-Friendly FoodWhen people gather, I cook. Four weeks of the dinners my crowd asks for — planned, tested, and shopped for. Come see what's in the cookbook →