Classic New Orlean's Creole Jambalaya (One Pot)

4.93 from 14 votes

Classic New Orlean's Creole Jambalaya (One Pot)

Creole Jambalaya is a tomato-based rice dish that is ready in less than an hour and tastes like it has been cooking all day. It has so much flavor - like taking a trip to New Orleans without leaving the house.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Cajun, Southern

Keyword: creole jambalaya, jambalaya, new orleans jambalaya

Servings:

Calories: 753kcal

Author: Kari

Equipment

a large pot
a sharp knife
a cutting board
measuring spoons
measuring cups

Ingredients

⅓ cup butter
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup green bell pepper, diced
½ cup celery, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
½ cup green onions, chopped
1 ½ cups raw chicken thighs, diced
1 ½ cups andouille or hot smoked sausage, diced
2 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
⅓ cup tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 cup white or long grain rice uncooked and rinsed

Instructions

Heat a large pot on the stove over medium heat. While the pot is heating up, dice up onions, garlic, celery, and bell pepper.
Once the pot is warm, melt the butter.
⅓ cup butter
When the butter is melted, add diced white onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic.
½ cup onion, diced, ½ cup green bell pepper, diced, ½ cup celery, diced, 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Cook until onions are translucent.
Next, add the green onions, chicken thighs, and andouille sausage.
½ cup green onions, chopped, 1 ½ cups raw chicken thighs, diced, 1 ½ cups andouille or hot smoked sausage, diced
Cook for about five minutes, until the chicken is mostly white - it is okay if it is not fully cooked.
Now add chicken broth and use it to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
1 cup chicken broth
Then add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, Tony's, and the bay leaf. Mix everything together and make sure the tomato paste gets evenly encorporated.
2 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice, ⅓ cup tomato paste, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Finally, add rice and mix to combine.
1 cup white or long grain rice
Simmer for 25 - 30 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed.
Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

Notes

Tips

You can very easily double this recipe for a larger group. It makes almost exactly four servings, so doubled it can serve a crowd really well.
I love making this recipe with fresh tomatoes from our garden. Since the tomatoes aren't in juice, I like to add about ½ a cup of extra chicken broth to make up for it.
Try this recipe using different proteins - a lot of people like to make it with shrimp as well, but my husband thinks combining shrimp and sausage is a crime, so we just stick to chicken and sausage.

Storage/Shelf Life

Jambalaya will last 3 - 5 days in the fridge. It reheats best in the microwave or in a covered pot on the stove over low heat.

Nutrition