Chicken shrimp creole jambalaya

The first time I made jambalaya, I wasn't even trying to. A friend who'd spent years in New Orleans left a handwritten recipe on my counter, and I found it weeks later, coffee-stained and crumpled. I almost threw it away, then noticed her note in the margin: "Trust the sizzle." Something about those two words made me dig out my Dutch oven that Saturday afternoon. The smell that filled my kitchen—that perfect collision of smoky sausage, sweet peppers, and Cajun spices—stopped me mid-chop. I understood why she'd been so insistent.

I've made this for dinner parties where people arrived stressed and left three hours later, still sitting at the table telling stories. There's something about a communal pot that loosens everyone up. Last spring, my neighbor smelled it cooking and actually knocked on the door mid-simmer. I had no choice but to invite her in, and she ended up staying through dessert, teaching me a trick about adding a pinch of sugar to cut the heat. Now I always do it.

Ingredients

• Andouille sausage (225 g): This is the backbone of the dish, and it's worth seeking out at a specialty store or butcher. It brings a smoky depth that you can't replicate with regular sausage.
• Chicken thighs (250 g): Dark meat stays juicy and forgiving, which matters when you're juggling timing with shrimp and sausage.
• Large raw shrimp (225 g): Raw, not cooked, so they stay tender. The size matters here—small shrimp disappear into the rice.
• Onion, bell pepper, and celery (the holy trinity): This is the aromatic foundation. Don't skip the dicing—roughly chopped vegetables won't soften evenly.
• Diced tomatoes (1 can, 400 g): Use canned with juices, not fresh. The acidity and body are crucial to the final flavor.
• Long-grain white rice (300 g): Rinse it first to remove excess starch, so grains stay separate instead of turning mushy.
• Chicken broth (720 ml): This is your cooking liquid, and quality matters. Homemade or low-sodium store-bought both work well.
• Smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper: Toast these together in the dry rice for a minute—it wakes up the flavors and prevents a dusty spice taste.
• Bay leaves (2): These add a subtle bitterness that rounds everything out. Remove them before serving.
• Vegetable oil (2 tbsp): High heat is needed to brown the proteins properly, so don't use olive oil.

Instructions

Brown the sausage first:

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage slices and cook until the edges are caramelized and you can smell that smoky richness, about 3 to 4 minutes. Lift it out onto a plate.

Get color on the chicken:

In the same pot with the remaining oil, season chicken pieces lightly and brown them on all sides until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes total. This layer of color is flavor, so don't rush it.

Soften the vegetables:

Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Stir often until they're tender and the onions turn translucent, roughly 5 minutes. This is your aromatic base, so let it develop.

Toast the rice with spices:

Add the rinsed rice, paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Stir constantly for about 1 minute so the spices bloom and coat every grain.

Deglaze and layer:

Pour in the canned tomatoes (with their juices) and chicken broth, stirring to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. These bits are liquid gold.

Simmer with sausage and chicken:

Return the sausage and chicken to the pot along with bay leaves. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer undisturbed for about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through.

Finish with shrimp:

Nestle the raw shrimp into the rice in an even layer, cover again, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and the rice is tender. Watch for the shrimp to curl—that's your signal.

Rest and fluff:

Remove from heat, fish out the bay leaves, and fluff everything gently with a fork. Let it rest for a minute before serving.

Save

The best moment came unexpectedly. I was eating this alone on a quiet Tuesday night, and halfway through the bowl, I realized I was genuinely happy—not because anything special was happening, but because the food itself was enough. Sometimes a meal doesn't need an occasion to matter.

Making It Your Own

Jambalaya is forgiving in the way that good home cooking should be. I've added diced jalapeños for extra heat, stirred in okra for body and texture, and even switched out shrimp for extra chicken when I didn't have shellfish on hand. The core stays strong no matter what you adjust. The magic isn't in following the recipe exactly—it's in understanding that the framework is solid enough to support your own choices.

Pairing and Serving

Serve this in wide bowls so the rice gets room to breathe. A cold beer or an iced tea cuts through the richness without competing with the spices. If you want something more substantial, cornbread is the obvious partner, but I've also had it with a sharp green salad and it was equally good. Hot sauce on the side lets everyone dial in their own heat level.

Storage and Leftovers

This dish improves overnight as flavors meld and deepen. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth to restore moisture. You can also freeze it for up to two months, though the shrimp texture will soften slightly. It's still delicious, and honestly, I often make a double batch just to have it waiting.

• Let it cool completely before refrigerating to avoid condensation that makes the rice soggy.
• Reheat slowly over medium heat, stirring occasionally, rather than blasting it with high heat.
• If you froze it, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the best texture.

Save

Jambalaya is the kind of dish that fills more than just your stomach. Make it when you want to slow down, when you want to feed people, or when you just want to fill your kitchen with something that smells like home. It's that simple.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ What proteins are used in this dish?

Chicken thighs, andouille sausage, and large peeled shrimp provide a rich mix of flavors and textures.

→ How is the rice cooked in the dish?

The rice simmers with broth, tomatoes, and spices, absorbing all the savory flavors while staying tender.

→ Which spices create the classic Cajun flavor?

Smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and bay leaves develop the signature bold taste.

→ Can the sausage be substituted?

Yes, smoked kielbasa or chorizo can replace andouille sausage to vary the smoky notes.

→ How to adjust the heat level?

Increasing cayenne or adding diced jalapeños will bring more spiciness to the dish.