Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya dinner made in just one pan!
One pot meals are all the rage lately, and it’s one trend I don’t ever see going away! And why would it? A simple dinner you can cook all in one pan, usually in less than 30 minutes? Umm, yes please. As long as I’ve got a family to feed, one pan meals are my BEST friend. (Check out some of my other one pan meals here and here)
I’m particularly excited about this one pot meal. I’m a HUGE sucker for cajun/creole food. My mom’s authentic New Orleans Gumbo recipe could be my all time favorite meal. And you just can’t go wrong with Red Beans and Rice, or jambalaya. Make it a One Pan Jambalaya with chicken and sausage and you’ve struck gold!
I’ve been tweaking and trying jambalaya recipes for while, trying to make them into “one pan” meals. I wont lie…I’ve had huge failures–like rubbery, sticky, clumpy mess failures. But this time…this time I got it right! I adapted the recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and made it a one pot meal. The rice cooks perfectly, but doesn’t get all stuck together and mushy. And the flavor is spot on. And of course it contains the “trinity” required in Louisiana-style cooking: onion, bell pepper and celery.
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 pound kielbasa sausage , cut into thin slices*
- 1 boneless , skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 small onion , chopped
- 3-4 green onions , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 3 ribs celery , chopped
- 1 medium (green or red) bell pepper, chopped*
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cups long-grain white rice
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In a large skillet with a fitted lid, add the oil over medium high heat. Add the kielbasa and chicken and brown well, flipping once or twice to brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. (The chicken doesn't need to be cooked all the way through).
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Add butter and flour to the pan and stir well, scraping up any leftover browned bits from the pan. Add onion, garlic, celery, and bell peppers and saute for a few minutes. Add basil, cajun seasoning, diced tomatoes and sugar and stir well to combine. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth, rice, and reserved meat. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pan with fitted lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat, stir gently just to toss, and then allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
*I usually use a mix of green, red and yellow bell peppers
Authentic New Orlean’s Style Gumbo
One Pan Skinny Chicken Alfredo
Jamie says
This looks really good! I do love a one-pot meal…less work in the kitchen later!
Kenna says
This was delicious! My family devoured it! To save time, I didn’t add chicken, but will next time. Thank you for sharing.
Chelsea says
Is this “one pan Jambalaya” spicy? I have never made jambalaya before but I think most kinds are spicy. If it is spicy do you have any advice on how to make it less? My husband and I don’t like spicy food but this looks really good.
Lauren Allen says
Hi Chelsea, this jambalaya is not very spicy at all (my kids love it!) I use “Joe’s Stuff” cajun seasoning, which isn’t spicy–so it may differ depending on what type of cajun seasoning you use, but either way I don’t think it will be too spicy for you. I’d love to hear how you like it!
Haley Cormier says
This is so good & easy to make which is perfect cause I’m a college student and don’t have a lot of cooking time, and now I have tons of leftovers! I accidentally added twice the rice (brown quick-cooking rice) but it still turned out fine!
Haley Cormier says
Also forgot to add that I threw in some frozen corn. I also really like the tomato flavor from the canned tomatoes so I’ll probably add some more next time!
Diana says
I really like this recipe for jambalaya. I made it last night using “Louisiana Fry Fish Products” brand of cajun seasoning. That seasoning is mild to me. But the andouille sausage I used was quite spicy (Coleman’s), so it turned out to be a spicy hot dish. My son and I like the spice but I always try to take it down a notch for my husband.
Anyway, I’m a fan of how this recipe is relatively simple, yet still tastes like “real” Cajun, and the rice cooked perfectly per the instructions. Thanks. This will be my go-to recipe for jambalaya.
(Which I always called jUmbalaya until I tried to find the recipe right now and my search didn’t work. Then I had to Google how to spell it. I don’t know how I could go all these years thinking it’s jUmbalaya. I’ve cooked it enough times — seen enough recipes, never registered with me. Duh. )
Dayna says
I made this last night! It turned out yummy. I added some Black Beans and Red Pepper spice as well as Red Pepper flakes. My family loves spicy things and they all had second helpings. Thank you!
Liz says
I absolutely love this recipe. It feels like comfort food but a healthier version. I usually use brown rice and add more water. It does have to cook a lot longer with brown rice but is just delicious! Thanks for the recipe.