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Jambalaya · Chicken & Sausage (Cajun)

Cajun-Style Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

A brown, Cajun-style jambalaya with no tomatoes: smoky sausage and chicken browned in one pot, then simmered with rice until every grain soaks up the flavor.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1 hr 20 min
Serves
6
Level
Medium
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Ingredients

  • Spice blend
  • 2 tsp paprika
    Swaps for paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Smoked paprika: The same amount. Adds a smoky flavor; lovely in most savory dishes.
    • Chili powder: The same amount. Adds cumin, garlic and a little heat.

    More for paprika

  • 1 tsp garlic powder
    Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
    Swaps for dried thyme

    Instead of thyme

    • Fresh thyme: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more lemony.
    • Italian seasoning or dried marjoram: The same amount. Close; Italian seasoning adds oregano and basil.

    More for thyme

  • ½ tsp dried oregano
    Swaps for dried oregano

    Instead of oregano

    • Fresh oregano: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more peppery; use a little less than you think.
    • Dried marjoram, Italian seasoning or dried basil: The same amount. Marjoram is milder, basil sweeter; Italian seasoning already has oregano in it.

    More for oregano

  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper, use 1/4 tsp for mild
    Swaps for cayenne pepper

    Instead of cayenne pepper

    • Red pepper flakes: The same amount, crushed fine. Slightly milder, with visible flakes.
    • Hot sauce: A few dashes for each pinch. Adds vinegar and a little liquid.
    • Chipotle powder or hot paprika: The same amount. Chipotle is smoky; hot paprika is milder and fruitier.

    More for cayenne pepper

  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
    Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Jambalaya
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
    Swaps for vegetable oil

    Instead of vegetable oil

    • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
    • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
    • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

    All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

  • 12 oz andouille sausage, fully cooked, sliced into 1/4-inch coins
  • 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
    Swaps for boneless skinless chicken thighs

    Instead of chicken breasts or thighs

    • Chicken breasts: The same weight. Leaner and milder; cooks faster and dries out sooner.
    • Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas: About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken. A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.

    More for chicken breasts or thighs

    Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.

  • 1 large onion, diced
    Swaps for onion

    Instead of onion

    • Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
    • Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
    • Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.

    All 4 swaps for onion

  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    Swaps for garlic

    Instead of garlic

    • Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
    • Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.

    More for garlic

  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked ≈ 278 g
  • 3 cups chicken broth
    Swaps for chicken broth

    Instead of broth

    • Vegetable broth: The same amount. Lighter and slightly sweeter.
    • Bouillon cube, powder or paste + water: Follow the label for the amount of liquid. Close in flavor; a little saltier.
    • Water + extra seasoning: The same amount, with ½ tsp salt per cup and extra garlic, onion or herbs. Flatter and lighter, but fine where other ingredients bring plenty of flavor.

    More for broth

  • 2 bay leaves
  • To serve
  • 3 green onions, sliced
    Swaps for green onions

    Instead of green onions

    • Chives: The same amount, for the green tops. Milder and more delicate, without crunch.
    • Shallot or red onion: Half as much, chopped fine, for the white parts. Stronger; best cooked or soaked in cold water first.
    • Leeks: The same amount, sliced thin. Milder and better cooked than raw.

    More for green onions

  • hot sauce (optional)

Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Cook to 165°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Mix the spice blend in a small bowl.
  2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring now and then, until
    browned (how to brown) Brown Cook food in a hot pan until its surface turns brown, which adds rich, roasted flavor. 1. Pat the food dry; for ground meat, let the pan get hot first.2. Add a little oil and spread the food in one layer.3. Leave it alone for a few minutes so the bottom browns, then turn or break it up.4. Work in batches if it won't fit in one layer.5. Pour off extra fat if the recipe says to. Done when: Most surfaces are brown, not gray, and the bottom of the pan has browned bits (they are flavor, not burn). Safety: Hot oil spatters: dry the food first, lay it in the pan moving away from you, and keep a lid nearby. Never put water on an oil fire; slide the lid over it and turn off the heat. Browned outside doesn't mean cooked inside: ground beef needs 160°F, poultry 165°F.How to brown meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid
    . Move it to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
    ⏱ Brown sausage: 5 min
  3. Toss the chicken with half the spice blend.
  4. Add the chicken to the pot in a single layer and cook until browned on most sides. It doesn't need to be cooked through. Add it to the bowl with the sausage.
    ⏱ Brown chicken: 6 min
  5. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook, scraping up the brown bits, until soft. The browned bottom is where the flavor and color come from.
    ⏱ Cook vegetables: 7 min
  6. Stir in the garlic and the rest of the spice blend until fragrant.
    ⏱ Garlic + spices: 1 min
  7. Add the rice and stir so every grain is coated.
    ⏱ Toast rice: 1 min
  8. Pour in the broth, add the bay leaves and return the chicken, sausage and any juices. Stir once and bring to a
    boil (how to boil) Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoid
    .
  9. Cover tightly, turn the heat to low and cook without lifting the lid or stirring.
    ⏱ Simmer covered: 22 min
  10. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, so the rice finishes steaming.
    ⏱ Rest: 10 min
  11. Check that a piece of chicken reads 165°F (74°C). Remove the bay leaves, fluff with a fork and top with green onions. Pass hot sauce at the table.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

  • Keep the lid on while the rice cooks. Stirring makes it gummy and lets the steam escape.
  • Any smoked sausage works if you can't find andouille; add a little extra cayenne.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of broth, covered, until steaming.

Make ahead

Chop the onion, pepper and celery up to 2 days ahead.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: bell peppers (July to October).

Quick answers

Can I make it ahead?

Chop the onion, pepper and celery up to 2 days ahead.

What can I swap?
  • Instead of paprika: Smoked paprika, the same amount.
  • Instead of garlic: Fresh garlic.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
540
Protein
34 g
Carbohydrates
44 g
Fiber
2 g
Sugars
3 g
Fat
24 g
Saturated fat
7 g
Sodium
1,350 mg

Whole recipe, 6 servings: about 3,220 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 19 of 19 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 6 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Not counted: hot sauce (to taste or as needed).

Estimated cost

About $1.75 a serving

About $10.50 for the recipe as written (6 servings).

Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 9 of 18 ingredients, 86% by weight.

How we estimate

Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.

  • boneless skinless chicken thighs $6.30 BLS
  • chicken broth $1.50 ERS
  • long-grain white rice $0.70 BLS
  • green bell pepper $0.55 ERS
  • onion $0.50 ERS
  • celery ribs $0.35 ERS
  • green onions $0.35 ERS
  • garlic $0.15 ERS
  • vegetable oil $0.10 ERS

Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, kosher salt, andouille sausage.

Not counted: hot sauce (optional, or to taste).

More dishes for less: cheap eats.

Goes well with

Picked by our pairing rules: the same kind of kitchen, room in the oven and on the stove, ready in time, and a balance of starch, vegetables and richness.

See it as a complete dinner menu

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Cleanup score 4/5 (easy cleanup): 2 things to wash, Dutch oven, mixing bowl. More one-pot recipes.

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