Jambalaya

Spicy, hearty, and incredibly flavorful, jambalaya is a New Orleans classic for good reason. Its complex flavor is informed by cuisines from around the world—Spanish, West African, and French to name a few. My recipe combines three proteins and vegetable-packed rice for a flavor-packed dish that will warm you up all year long. Keep reading on for all of my top tips on how to make it the best it can be:

What People Are Saying:
“I prepared this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! A great blend of ingredients and textures make for a very tasteful addition to my recipe notebook. I plan on finishing the leftovers tomorrow! 5 stars.” - OrangeRing

“This turned out great! Followed the recipe and it came out perfect. Super easy to make and full of flavor. Will definitely make this again.” - CyanTooth

How To Make Jambalaya

INGREDIENTS

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use your favorite olive oil, or consult our list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands.
• Onion & Peppers: I start this jambalaya off by cooking down a yellow onion and bell peppers. Use any bell peppers you please; I go for red.
• Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Just remember, you may need to add a bit longer for your cook time if you choose to do so.
• Sausage: Characterized by its smoky flavor and specific blend of spices, andouille is a MUST. If you can't find andouille sausage near you, you could start with ground pork and build the usual flavors in with plenty of smoky spices with a bit of heat.
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds a bit of sweetness and acidity to the jambalaya, especially when cooked down with the garlic.
• Garlic: I use 2 cloves of garlic here, but if you’re a garlic fanatic (or are using small cloves), you can add another clove.
• Chicken Stock: Use low-sodium here so you can control the salt amounts.
• Crushed Tomatoes: One can of crushed tomatoes not only adds texture and flavor, but also—combined with the chicken stock—helps to cook our rice.
• Rice: Long grain rice is best; other types of rice might get mushy or clump together when cooked in this style.
• Old Bay Seasoning & Oregano: We’re big fans of Old Bay seasoning at Delish, and especially love it here. It’s the easiest way to add salty, savory, and slightly spicy flavor to a dish. I also throw in a bit of oregano to season the chicken.
• Shrimp: I recommend peeling and deveining your shrimp before cooking—it will make the entire process that much easier.
  

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once heated, add the chopped onions and bell peppers and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, making sure you’re stirring occasionally.

Once softened, add in the chicken breasts and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook while stirring occasionally until the chicken is golden on the outside. Then, add in the sliced sausage, tomato paste, and garlic. Cook while stirring until fragrant—this should only take around 1 minute. Add the stock, tomatoes, uncooked rice, and Old Bay seasoning, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is almost absorbed by the rice.

Then, add in the shrimp and cook, tossing to fully combine in the rice mixture. Cook until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, this should just take around 3 to 5 minutes.

Once the shrimp is cooked, divide the jambalaya among your bowls, and top with some thinly sliced scallions if you so desire.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Jambalaya Variations

Jambalaya is an extremely versatile dish. Add in crawfish if you want to switch up the protein, or throw in some okra and carrots if you want more veggies. Feeling like you want to amp up the heat? Incorporate some jalapeño or cayenne. Once you've got your base ingredients figured out, you can really experiment and add to this dish as you please.

Looking for a quick, hands-off version? Check out our Instant Pot jambalaya.

Storage

It’s best to store this dish for no longer than 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, add a little vegetable oil to a large skillet and add your leftovers, stirring occasionally. A dish like this can be tricky to reheat and can easily turn to mush—frying it in a pan can help bring some much needed texture. Let the rice crisp up on the bottom of the pan, but try to avoid cooking the shrimp too much longer, since it can get tough and chewy the longer it cooks.