The Best Homemade Jambalaya: A True Louisiana Classic Packed with Big Flavor

If you’ve ever tasted authentic jambalaya, you already know it’s one of the most comforting, flavorful, and soul-satisfying dishes ever created. Bursting with tender chicken, smoky sausage, succulent shrimp, aromatic vegetables, and seasoned rice, jambalaya is the heart of Louisiana cuisine. It’s the kind of recipe that warms a home, feeds a crowd, and feels like a celebration every time a spoonful hits your bowl.

This recipe for The Best Homemade Jambalaya delivers everything you want: bold Cajun flavor, perfectly cooked rice, juicy proteins, and a rich depth that can only come from cooking everything in the same pot. Whether you’re making it for a weeknight dinner, a weekend gathering, or a festive holiday table, this jambalaya never disappoints.

Let’s dive into the Louisiana spirit and walk through why this recipe works so well — and why you’ll want to make it again and again.

What Makes This Jambalaya the Best?

Jambalaya is a dish built in layers: aromatics, spices, proteins, and rice, all simmered to perfection. This version checks every box:

1. Three proteins, one pot

Classic jambalaya often includes chicken, sausage, and shrimp. Each brings a different texture and flavor that harmonizes with the rest of the dish.

2. A rich base of Cajun aromatics

The “holy trinity” — bell peppers, celery, and onions — creates the unmistakable Louisiana flavor foundation.

3. Perfectly seasoned rice

The rice isn’t just cooked — it absorbs the broth, tomatoes, spices, and drippings from the meat, making every grain flavorful.

4. Authentic Cajun spice balance

Bold but not overwhelming. Smoky, savory, slightly spicy, and deeply aromatic.

5. The one-pot magic

Everything cooks in one pot, allowing the flavors to blend beautifully and minimizing cleanup.

A Brief History of Jambalaya

Jambalaya’s roots stretch deep into Louisiana’s multicultural cooking traditions. Influenced by French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean cuisines, jambalaya is a melting pot in a bowl — literally.

• The Spanish brought paella to Louisiana.
• Locals adapted it using local ingredients.
• African and Caribbean techniques added depth and seasoning.

The result is a uniquely American dish bursting with Louisiana personality, warmth, and culture.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups long-grain rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
• Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken.
   Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on all sides, then remove from the pot.
2. Brown the sausage.
   Add sliced andouille sausage to the same pot. Cook until browned and slightly crispy. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
3. Sauté the vegetables.
   Add the bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
4. Add spices and toast them.
   Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, and bay leaves. Toasting them for 30 seconds deepens the flavor.
5. Stir in tomatoes and rice.
   Add diced tomatoes and stir the rice into the mixture, coating it in all the spices and juices.
6. Add chicken broth.
   Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pot. This builds the signature jambalaya flavor.
7. Simmer.
   Return chicken and sausage to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until rice is tender.
8. Add shrimp.
   Stir in the shrimp, cover again, and cook for 5 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
9. Fluff and serve.
   Remove bay leaves, fluff the jambalaya with a fork, and garnish with green onions and parsley.

The Best Homemade Jambalaya

A bold, flavor-packed Louisiana classic made with chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, vegetables, and Cajun-seasoned rice cooked in one pot.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: Cajun, Creole

Calories: 480

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
• 12 oz andouille sausage sliced
• 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 14.5 oz diced tomatoes canned
• 1.5 cups long-grain rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 green onions sliced for garnish
• fresh parsley optional garnish

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons

Method

 

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and cook chicken until browned. Remove and set aside.
2. Brown the sliced andouille sausage in the same pot. Remove and set aside.
3. Cook bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic until softened.
4. Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, and bay leaves and toast for 30 seconds.
5. Add diced tomatoes and long-grain rice, stirring to coat the rice in the spices.
6. Pour in chicken broth, scrape the bottom of the pot, and return chicken and sausage to the pot.
7. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until rice is tender.
8. Stir in shrimp, cover, and cook 5 minutes until shrimp is pink and cooked through.
9. Remove bay leaves, fluff gently, and garnish with green onions and parsley.

Notes

For more heat, add cayenne. For smokier flavor, use smoked paprika. Add shrimp only at the end to avoid overcooking.

Tips for the Best Jambalaya

Use long-grain rice

Shorter grains become mushy. Long grain keeps its structure and soaks up spices beautifully.

Don’t stir too much

Stirring breaks down rice and releases starch, which makes the dish gummy.

Add shrimp at the end

Shrimp overcooks very easily — adding it last keeps it tender.

Taste and adjust

Cajun seasoning blends vary. Start with less and add more if needed.

Variations You Can Try

Creole Jambalaya (with tomatoes)

This recipe already includes tomatoes, giving it a slightly red, saucy base.

Cajun Jambalaya (no tomatoes)

Omit the diced tomatoes and add an extra ½ cup broth for a more smoky, earthy flavor.

Sausage-Only Jambalaya

Skip chicken and shrimp if you prefer a simpler dish.

Veggie Jambalaya

Use vegetable broth, skip the meats, and double the veggies. Add okra or mushrooms for texture.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this comforting dish with:

• cornbread
• garlic bread
• coleslaw
• sautéed greens
• roasted okra

It’s filling, satisfying, and perfect for feeding a crowd.

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerate:
Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Reheat:
Warm in a skillet with a splash of broth to loosen the rice.

Freeze:
Freezes well for up to 2 months (except shrimp may soften slightly).

Fun Jambalaya Trivia

• The word jambalaya may come from French “jambon” (ham) combined with African and Caribbean influences.
• It’s a staple at Mardi Gras celebrations.
• Every cook in Louisiana has their own version — no two jambalayas are exactly alike.