While jambalaya isn’t difficult to make on the stovetop, it’s still SUPER hot here, so I like to use my slow cooker when I can. Everything in this easy Slow Cooker Jambalaya recipe is cooked in one pot, including the rice. Cooking rice like this might sound like a mushy mess, but as long as you add it at the very end, you can control the texture a bit more and get good results! This slow cooker recipe is simple comfort food at its best and perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.
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What Is Jambalaya?
Jambalaya is a popular rice-based dish originating from Louisiana, believed to have been inspired by the culinary influences of the French, Spanish, and African cultures there. It’s a natural “budget” recipe because it combines flavorful and inexpensive cuts of meat (smoked sausage and chicken thighs) with bulky and inexpensive ingredients, like rice, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Some recipes also add seafood, but I skipped that to keep costs down. Add a good handful of spices, and you have a super filling and very satisfying meal that freezes well and reheats effortlessly in the microwave. Total winner.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this slow cooker jambalaya recipe:
- Celery, Onion & Bell Pepper: Known as the ‘holy trinity’ of Cajun and Creole cooking, these veggies provide the base flavor for this recipe.
- Garlic: A little minced garlic adds depth and flavor.
- Smoked Sausage: The type of smoked sausage you use DOES matter. Andouille sausage is the traditional choice, but you can use any smoked pork sausage you like. More on why the type of sausage matters below.
- Chicken Thighs (Optional): Boneless and skinless chicken thighs are flavorful, inexpensive, and don’t dry out when they’re cooked in the slow cooker.
- Dried Herbs & Seasonings: Dried oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and freshly cracked pepper add a ton of flavor to your crockpot jambalaya.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Adds liquid to cook the rice and thickens the broth.
- Fresh Parsley: I mix fresh parsley into my slow cooker when I add the chicken broth.
- Chicken Broth: Use homemade chicken broth or your favorite store-bought brand.
- Rice: Use long-grain white rice for this recipe, not instant rice.
- Green Onions: For garnishing.
What Type of Sausage To Use
This recipe depends greatly on the sausage you buy, which accounts for about half of the flavor in the dish. I had one of those “small changes make big differences” moments at the grocery store and bought smoked turkey sausage instead of regular smoked pork sausage, and I kind of regret it. But hey, it all depends on your priorities. Just be aware that the sausage can make or break this recipe. And while I think you could easily skip the chicken thighs to reduce the meat load of the dish, do not skip the smoked sausage.
Jambalaya vs Gumbo
Both dishes are delicious and are integral parts of Cajun and Creole cuisine, but they’re distinct in their own ways. Jambalaya is a one-pot rice dish, while gumbo is a thick stew or soup made with a dark roux (a mixture of flour and fat) as a base. Gumbo can be served with rice, but it’s not cooked with the other ingredients like in jambalaya.
There are also some differences in the ingredients used, but both dishes typically include the holy trinity of vegetables (onion, celery, and bell pepper) and a variety of protein options. It’s mainly the preparation and serving style that sets these two dishes apart!
How to Store
This slow cooker jambalaya recipe makes about 10 cups total (when made in a 5-quart slow cooker), so you’ll probably have some leftovers! Let everything cool before storing it in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze individual portions for up to 6 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave—yum!
Slow Cooker Jambalaya Recipe
Servings 8 (about 10 cups)Ingredients
- 3 ribs celery ($0.37)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.42)
- 1 green bell pepper ($0.87)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 12-16 oz. smoked sausage* ($3.49)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (optional) ($1.13)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10)
- 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.05)
- Freshly cracked pepper (15-20 cranks of a mill) ($0.05)
- 2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes (or one 28oz. can) ($1.98)
- 2 cups chicken broth ($0.26)
- 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped ($0.20)
- 2 cups uncooked long grain white rice ($0.96)
- 3 green onions, sliced ($0.23)
Instructions
- Finely dice the celery, onion, and bell pepper. Mince the garlic. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the bottom of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker.
- Slice the smoked sausage into rounds or half moons and add them to the slow cooker, along with the chicken thighs, oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Pour the diced tomatoes and all their juices over the meat and spices in the slow cooker. Add the chicken broth and a handful of chopped fresh parsley. Stir briefly.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker, turn the heat on to high, and cook for four hours.
- After four hours, the liquid in the slow cooker should be boiling. Carefully remove the chicken thighs, making sure to replace the lid quickly. Shred the meat and stir it back into the pot along with the uncooked rice.
- Make sure all the rice is submerged under the liquid, then replace the lid as quickly as possible so that it returns to boiling quickly.
- Let it continue to cook on high for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Remove the lid, test the rice to make sure it’s tender, then stir to fluff the ingredients (don't stir too vigorously or the rice will become gummy). Sprinkle the sliced green onions over top, then serve.
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make SLow Cooker Jambalaya – Step by Step Photos
Finely dice 3 ribs celery, 1 yellow onion, and 1 green bell pepper. Mince 2 garlic cloves. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the bottom of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker.
Slice 12-16 oz. of smoked sausage into rounds or half moons and add them to the slow cooker, along with the 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and freshly cracked pepper (15-20 cranks of a mill).
Pour 2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes and all their juices over the meat and spices in the slow cooker. Add 2 cups chicken broth and 1/4 bunch of chopped fresh parsley. Stir briefly.
Place the lid on the slow cooker, turn the heat on to high, and cook for four hours.
After four hours, the liquid in the slow cooker should be boiling. Carefully remove the chicken thighs, making sure to replace the lid quickly. Shred the meat and stir it back into the pot along with 2 cups uncooked long grain rice.
Make sure all the rice is submerged under the liquid, then replace the lid as quickly as possible so that it returns to boiling quickly.
Let it continue to cook on high for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
Remove the lid, test the rice to make sure it’s tender, then stir to fluff the ingredients (don’t stir too vigorously or the rice will become gummy). Sprinkle 3 sliced green onions over top, then serve.
I totes forgot my green onions! Which is a shame because green onions are such a quintessential flavor in slow cooker jambalaya. No worries, though. I still have leftovers that can get the green onion treatment! Leftovers for days cuz that’s how I roll.
Just made this tonight, and it came out perfectly if you follow the directions specifically! Rice came out great. Only qualm would be to change the spices a little bit, or just add more. I added some Tony’s to ours and that helped, because otherwise it’s a teensy bit bland.
We had this for dinner tonight. Absolutely delicious. My husband and I loved it. It was so good and so easy. Highly recommend!! I cooked the rice separately and just added it in the crockpot just to mix it up once cooked. So good!! It makes a lot of food and it is amazing. Thank you for the amazing recipie!!!
This one didn’t hit the mark for me. The taste wasn’t very Cajun and the rice didn’t cook well.
Much better than the boxed mix we had been using! The rice turned out fine for me, the flavor was good and you could always sub andouille if you want a little more heat.
As others have said, id avoid this one. You either end up with a soggy sausage stew, or you’re stuck with hard rice.
Skip this recipe. Except for adding more garlic, I followed the directions thoroughly. The rice was still hard, and needed another hour but more importantly, the entire dish was flat-out bland. Just bland bland bland.
Can I cook this on low for longer (maybe low for 8 hrs)? So it may cook during the workday?
You need that higher heat to cook the rice properly. Lower heat will just kind of turn it to mush. :(
This was DELICIOUS!!! It had a little bit of a kick to it so I added a dollop of sour cream on top of each serving. Loved it
I am also having a rice problem! I read all of the comments- should have listened and made rice separately. Flavor is good, easy to prep. But the rice not cooking is a big issue for me. Will try again next time.
This is my go to recipe, I LOVE IT and make it all the time. But I just skip the rice and add some shrimp at the end, then I guess it’s more like Gumbo :)
Do you think this recipe would work with red, black or wild rice?
Unfortunately, I’ve never tried cooking those types of rice in a slow cooker, so I don’t know if the slow cooker will get the liquid boiling to a point where it can cook a more tough kind of rice like that.
Cook time is way off for the rice. 35 minutes and it’s still rock hard.
I made this a few months ago for my family (including an 18- month old) and it was a resounding success!! To the point where it was making an appearance weekly (!) on our dining tables, and if I skipped it one week my husband would ask when we would be eating it next. Thank you for such a great- and forgiving- recipe that I can tweak as we go.
Made this today it’s wonderful. I did use chopped tomatoes with green chiles. This is so good. Made garlic bread to go with it. Try it you’ll like it!
The rice did not cook. We followed this recipe to the t and for whatever reason we had to pull it lol out of our crockpot in order to simmer the rice to get it soft. The bottom was mush and the top was uncooked. Will not be making this again.
This is my family’s favorite meal. Thank you!
I have to differ slightly. I thought it was “meh” when I made it, but it was MUCH better the next day.
This recipe was amazing! I know it’s terrible when people review a recipe and change ingredients but I just don’t like bell peppers. For me they add color but no flavors. So, instead I used one jalapeno and a poblano pepper. Delicious! I had no issues with my rice. It was perfect. I had a giant Costco bag of basmati rice so I used that. Absolutely perfect! I will say my liquid was at a full bubble when I quickly added my rice so maybe that was the issue others had.
Hello, do you think this would work with paella rice? Have some to use up!! Thanks in advance :)
This turned out really good. I halved the recipe and I also sauteed the veggies a little before adding them to the slow cooker (just a personal habit of mine). Yum!
Definitely keep it covered as much as possible. And make sure it is bubbling before adding the rice. I used parboiled rice and the consistency was just right. Took about 30. min for the rice to absorb the liquid.
Hi! Can I cook this recipe on low for 8 hours?
I don’t recommend low for this recipe because the liquid won’t come up to a strong enough boil to cook the rice.
This is an amazing recipe. I was worried that my rice wouldn’t get cooked easily as many of the comments have stated, but mine turned out really great after 30 minutes! I did make sure that the liquid was boiling and all the rice was submerged in it. This was a hit for the whole family. I substituted the chicken with shrimp and scallops, and it tasted great. Will make this again soon!
Sooo good! I added salt and old bay seasoning. I have this recipe a 4 stars only because the rice was definitely NOT done after 25 minutes. I had to keep leaving it on high for ten minute increments and my rice turned out really mushy which was a bummer. You should update this recipe.
This was good, but rather then use rice I just used garlic bread to mop up the juice.
I’ve had this recipe saved forever but was afraid to try it because I didn’t know how the rice would turn out in the slow cooker. Now I’m so mad at myself for not making this sooner!!! I have small kids that can’t handle spice so I used regular smoked sausage instead of cajun, but followed everything else exactly. The rice was cooked through, but not mushy and the flavor was amazing!!! Fixing it again as we speak :)
This recipe is great! I have made it several times, but this time I am cooking the sausage, onion, green pepper, and garlic in a skillet together before adding them in. Made the house smell amazing already. No chicken this time, so we are doing sausage and shrimp. Make sure it is truly bubbling before you add the rice and don’t lift the lid while it cooks. Otherwise, you’ll have crunchy rice.
Hi! Do you wash the rice before putting it into the slow cooker?
In this recipe you do not need to rinse the rice prior to cooking. Enjoy!
You once had a jambalaya recipe that you cooked on the stove. I can’t find it. :( I used that recipe quite a few times.
Hi Tracy! Shoot us an email at support@budgetbytes.com and we’ll get that for you.
Made this recipe yesterday for my boyfriend during quarantine. My local supermarket did not have Cajun sausage so we opted for hot Italian sausage which might not have been the best choice but it came out extremely good. A little on the spicy side though but still delicious. Can’t wait to make again once I find Cajun sausage!
You guys… so good. I don’t eat real meat but I skipped the chicken, used Beyond brand sausage links, and used vegetable broth and omg! So good. This meal was a treat!
Halved the recipe, used frozen vegetable medley (onions, celery, peppers), and a smaller can of fire roasted tomatoes (since my sausage wasn’t smoked), and it turned out amazing! Really nice spicy fire of a jumbalaya :) Happy to hear it freezes well, as it will make great lunches “just in case” in the coming days/weeks.
Hi Beth! If I’m going to be gone for six hours, should I add more liquid and Use the Low setting since it will be cooking for longer? Will cook the rice separately once I get home probably.
Hi Emily! I’d just cook it on low for six hours instead of on high for four hours.
Maybe this recipe worked for the author, but the rice did not at all turn out for me. In my experience, there is nowhere near enough liquid (yes, I included the juice from the diced tomatoes as indicated). Also, a slow cooker just isn’t going to cut it to cook rice. I ended up having to add another 1 to 2 cups of chicken broth at the end and transfer everything to a stock pot and simmer it on the stove to get the rice to cook and it is still a little hard.
The overall flavor is great, and I’ll probably make this again. However, be warned that the directions for the rice very likely won’t turn out well. Next time I’ll make the rice separately (probably using chicken broth instead of water for the flavor) and just mix it in at the end.
Was the liquid bubbling when you added the rice? I’ve made this a few times and a couple times I set my slow cooker on low so that I could start the recipe before going to work, but I had to make sure it was on high at the end for the rice to cook. (I don’t think it was a full on boil, but definitely bubbling.)
I want to add shrimp to this recipe. Would you add at the end, say last 30 minutes?
Yes I’d say even 15-20 depending on the size of shrimp you use.
Can you post nutritional info?!!
With and without rice please?!
Thanks for the request! We do get that request a lot, but unfortunately we don’t have a reliable source for the nutrition information. The calculators and databases that most bloggers and websites use to calculate the info can be extremely inaccurate, and for something that can so severely impact the health of people with health conditions, we just don’t feel comfortable publishing unreliable numbers. We prefer to leave it up to the reader to use the database or calculator they trust. I’m sorry and I wish accuracy were easier than shipping the food off to a lab for analysis!
Used 1 cup rice and left it for 45 minutes and the consistency was perfect. Added two jalapeños as well. Definitely needed some salt but I’m sparing with the bouillon.
Thanks for sharing your tips Meredith!
I had the same issue with the rice coming out crunchy – I couldn’t keep it all submerged. I’ll try these other methods next time, the jambalaya still TASTED good!
I make this with shrimp instead of chicken and rice cauliflower in place of the rice and it was great !
Oh great swaps!
Quick question. If I wanted to add small frozen shrimp to this, what point should I put it in at?
I’d toss it in with about 10 minutes left to cook.
Tasted great but I was doubtful the rice would cook in time . I pat-cooked mine on the stove then added it in. Rice was a mushy mess. I will definitely still make this again and use some of the liquid to cook the rice on the stove.
I was able to do this all in my instant pot when I forgot to get it started in the morning. Just pressure cooked everything but the rice by hitting poultry and then adding the rice and using the rice cooker function. So easy, so lazy, so delicious. It took less than an hour start to finish and was just as good as when I’ve made it in the slow cooker.
I had made this recipe twice and the rice was cooked for only 30 min. Actually, the rice came out perfectly. It wasn’t crunchy at all. I do have a high end slow cooker. Could that possibly be the reason the rice was cooked after 30 minutes. I don’t know the reason, but I am definitely making this Jambalaya recipe again. Delicious!!
What slow cooker do you have?
Nothing too fancy! You can find it here.
I had made this recipe twice and the rice was cooked for only 30 min. Actually, the rice came out perfectly. It wasn’t crunchy at all. I do have a high end slow cooker. Could that possibly be the reason the rice was cooked after 30 minutes. I don’t know the reason, but I am definitely making this Jambalaya recipe again. Delicious!!
Flavors are amazing but don’t make any plans based around the time listed in the recipe. Rice took something like an extra hour to cook and I missed out on some plans with friends. Now that I’ve scrolled down to the comments I see that everyone else has the same issue. I get that it’s common for recipes to underestimate cooking time a little, but this was mildly ridiculous. Beth should really update the recipe.
Scooped out 4 cups of the liquid at the 3 hour mark, brought to boil on the stove, added the rice and boiled it for 10 minutes. Added back to the crockpot and by the time the 4 hours was up, the rice was perfect.
Great recipe! I somehow stupidly added the rice in at the beginning so I will probably be eating slush but I will see how it goes :)
Flavors are good but as others posted the rice is still crunchy. I let it go on high for 45 minutes after adding the rice but couldn’t go any longer because all of the juices had been absorbed and it started sticking to the bottom.
Our family loves this recipe. It’s so easy and delicious. A favorite. I will just say that the rice takes substantially longer than 20-25 minutes. I generally allow for about an hour from when I add it to when I plan to serve dinner.
There is NO way uncooked rice will cook in 25 minutes, or even 30, in a High setting in a slow cooker.
Tastes are great, but after following the recipe exactly (except for adding about 1 cup of rice per the advice of other commenters) rice came out crunchy. Next time I will just make rice separately to avoid ruining the dish.
This recipe is good flavor wise, but my rice did not cook correctly. I even had it in the pot for 45 minutes and still had some crunchy rice. That is very disappointing. I will make this again, but I will use instant rice instead.
Ive seen a few comments on here about the rice, but as far as mine went, it ended up perfectly. the broth in mine was at a boil before adding the rice. only complaint was just how much rice there was ( not too big of a gripe). If you’re like me and dont like too much rice I’d go just a cup and a half of rice, or if you’re a meat lover then just go 1 cup of rice. great recipe all and all!!!
The flavour was good, but the rice not cooking properly after following the directions exactly left me extremely frustrated. I kept adding more chicken broth since half my rice was still raw. 40 minutes later (after the initial 25) and the rice STILL wasn’t cooked properly. Had to transfer to my dutch oven on the stove which sucks since I have more dirty dishes now. PLEASE update your recipe seeing as many other people had this same issue and we obviously need more liquid.
i lost ALL my recipes in a computer crash-i am going to make this tomorrow with andouille sausage and bone-in thighs. will cook rice separately because my slow cooker sorta sucks-hoping it turns out as good as it reads!
This dish had great flavor and we really loved it. Like a few of the other comments the rice didn’t get cooked properly. I would make this again
I just made this tonight and used the brand Minute Rice after previously using the same rice on a different slow cooker rice recipe. It came out perfect so that might be the trick!
Can I do this recipe on low for 8 hours?
Hi! Can I substitute brown rice for white?
No, unfortunately brown rice takes more liquid, more cooking time, and probably more heat than the slow cooker can provide.
Super easy, great flavor. I will make this again. The only thing II am going to do different is add another chicken thigh and cut back on the amount of rice. Instead of 2 cups I will use 1 cup. I feel that it won’t be as dry and that you will be able to really taste the other ingredients. Overall great recipe!
This was good, but this is no way a “traditional jambalaya recipe” In Louisiana, our Jambalaya is brown because it is cajun. This is definitely a tomato based rice recipe, it almost tastes like a form of enchilada rice, which now this is what I will be calling it. With all of that aside, this recipe isn’t bad.
“this is no way a traditional jambalaya recipe In Louisiana”? Is completely incorrect. In fact, tthere are two primary methods of making jambalaya: Creole jambalaya (or red jambalaya); the second is Cajun j which contains no tomatoes.
This recipe was easy & surprisingly delicious for a life long Louisianan.
I’m allergic to shrimp, can I substitute crawfish instead.
That will probably work.
I would suggest adding half a cup of water with the broth just in case you leave your lid off for too long… For some reason my rice wasn’t fully cooked after 25 minutes which made me suspect that someone was snooping around… My suspicions were later confirmed though lol… But otherwise this recipe is fantastic! So simple, easy and incredibly flavorful. I used jalapeno cheddar smoked sausages and everybody thought it was a smash… Will defenitely be making this on a regular basis… Especially for work lunches! Easy meal prep.
Tastes great!! But the rice didn’t cook the way it needed to. I ended up putting it in a Dutch oven and finishing it over the stove. Not sure what went wrong.
This looks delicious! Did you use raw or precooked sausage?
This uses smoked sausage, which is considered to be a cooked sausage, not a fresh sausage. :)
Any suggestions on how to adjust this if I’m at work all day at least 8 hours and wanted to cook this in the slow cooker while I was gone.
Hmm, I don’t think you could for this one. It’s really tricky with the rice and needs to be added just at the right time. If you add it in the beginning it will completely break down.
I have the same issue. Im considering cooking it on low for 8 hours and then turning it to warm when I get home and then cook the rice completely seperate. Once the rice is cooked, add it all together. We’ll see how it works.
This looks delicious and I’ve been looking for an easy week-night jambalaya recipe!
Any ideas about converting this to work with a pressure cooker instead?
I think a pressure cooker would work great (and probably cook the rice a bit more evenly). I’d need to do some testing before giving specific instructions, though.
I usually do it in the pressure cooker (instant pot). What I do is saute veggies & chicken if uncooked, then add sausage & seasoning. Drain the tomato juice from canned tomatoes into a measure cup. Dump the drained tomatoes and rice to pot. Add enough chicken broth to tomato juice to equal 2 cups (1:1 ratio for white rice) then dump into pot. Stir, than add lid, close valve and cook on the rice setting.
Yummy! I added shrimp as well and it turned out really well. Unfortunately, I left the slow cooker on and it got super mushy lol. I’ll know for next time!! Thanks for the great recipe – it’s a keeper!!
About how much of the chicken in weight? Am I ready right, just 2 little thighs?
It’s flexible, but probably about 1/3 lb. each, so 2/3 lb. total.
I want to use brown rice instead! Do i cook it longer or put it in sooner?
Honestly I’m not sure brown rice will work with this method. Brown rice needs a lot more liquid and a much longer cooking time than white rice, and I’m not sure the slow cooker will be efficient enough to really cook it.
I have a long work day, would it be okay to change the cooking temp? So instead of 4 hours on high, 8 hours on low? If so, are there any other suggestions to make suer this cooks perfectly?
The only problem with lowering the temperature is that the liquid in the pot won’t be boiling as much, so the rice is not likely to cook as well. You’ll probably need to have it on high for at leas an hour to really get the liquid going before adding the rice. But that’s just a guess, it would definitely take some testing to make sure it works perfectly.
Any reason recipe couldn’t be cooked on low for 7-8hours. The whole point of my crock pot is that I’m gone all day and want dinner ready when I get home. Would just make rice separately obviously for that reason
If you are making the rice separately, yes, you can cook it on low. Just keep in mind that if you are cooking the rice separately you will also need to reduce the liquid, since the rice won’t be absorbing any. :)
So yeah. I should have taken the rice advice… I ended up having to take some and finish it stove stop bc the rice was crunch :( but over all tasted great! We like spice so I added a little extra cayenne pepper, 1 diced jalapeño, and 1/2 tablespoon or red pepper flakes and omg… So good! Also, I needed to add salt to it as well. But over all great!
If I have a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (Trader Joe’s sells 28 and 14.5, so I’d be a little short either way) should I add 2 oz of water?
I think you’ll be fine with the 2 14.5 oz. cans. :)
I have been a follower of your recipes for awhile now, but I most likely won’t be making this again. My rice also did not cook in the given time. I believe I cooked the rice for a whole hour all together.
I need to make this for about 50 people. Do you know if it will work if I cook it in my large roaster on very low?
Also, to help get the temp back up to boiling in the crock pot, cover it in a thick towel, like a beach towel. I do that every time I need to boil something in mine.
I have to be honest, I have never cooked anything in such a large batch, or with a large roaster, so unfortunately I can’t advise on that one.
The taste is fantastic, but the rice was still pretty crunchy after leaving the lid on for 25 minute. Will probably cook the rice separately next time. Great flavor though!
I was looking for a crockpot Jambalaya recipe for our last volunteer potluck of the year in October 2016 when I found your’s on Pinterest and it has become my go-to. The first time I made it I followed the recipe with the exception sauteing the veggies, browning the meats (personal preference) and of adding shrimp 15 minutes before serving. It’s a good thing I was only feeding 5 people! I’ve made this at least every other month, for various events, since. It’s great as is but it can also be changed up with ease. Want it spicier, add a little more cayenne, less spicy a little less. I’ve added extra veggies, some black beans, used turkey sausage, and even made a vegetarian version.
Thanks for a great recipe that makes everyone happy including the grandkids!
I made this recipe last night in honor of my husband’s birthday and it was a huge hit with my whole family! Thanks Beth! I followed the directions exactly and it came out just like the picture on here.
Leaving a comment because a) this came out delicious and b) adding the rice and leaving it for 25 minutes works absolutely fine for me. Make sure that it’s WHITE rice, that you stir it in well when you add it, and that you leave the lid on the entire 25 minutes. I probably only did 1.5 cups, so if you’re worried at all, try that. Having the rice soak up all the juices is half the point of the dish.
I couldn’t find smoked sausage, so I used hot Italian sausage and opted for roasted diced tomatoes to bring in some of the smoky element. Delicious!
I admittedly didn’t read the comments until after I added the rice … But I needed to say that my white rice cooked perfectly as instructed! I kept the lid on the entire 25 minutes and everything cooked evenly with just the right amount of liquid left over. And this tastes great! Definitely keeping this on our ‘make again’ list.
Since this is budget bytes, I will suggest a change. Use regular bone in chicken thigh to save a little money. When you shred the chicken, it’s so tender that it easily falls off the bone so it really doesn’t take any extra effort. I put 4 chicken thighs on top of everything after it’s mixed up and let it cook.
One thing I noticed about this recipe is it seems to need salt. I’m not smart enough to know how much to put in so I just salt each individual portion lol. Thank you for such a great recipe! This is my favorite recipe site and has helped me get in the kitchen more and eat out less.
The first time I made this dish I followed all the directions precisely. The rice cooked unevenly and left a lot of crunchy pieces. The flavor was fantastic but the rice kinda ruined it.
The second time I cooked the rice separately and mixed it in after draining the liquid out. It came out perfect!
Does this dish freeze well? It made way more than I was expecting!
Yes, it freezes beautifully. :)
First of all, thank you for having your recipes set up for easy portion count change. I had a Mardi Gras party with 20 friends last night & your recipe was so easy to resize in your site. Thank you for that!
And thank you for the amazing recipe. I got so many raves and it was SO GOOD. I cooked everything but the rice in my crockpot. When it was done, I drained the fluid and cooked my brown rice on the stove. Then I mixed the two together. So delicious!! Excited to make it again. Thank you :)
Awesome. I made this every once in awhile for myself and my husband, and there are always plenty of leftovers–at least two days worth. I normally use brown rice, and I soak it the night before in a bowl of water to soften it up, and I toss it in first, and allow it to cook with the chicken, sausage and veggies, and add the shrimp last. The rice is never crunchy when I do this.
Thanks for the recipe! (:
I was very skeptical when I read to add rice and cook for 20-25. I was right to be concerned. It is now two hrs after adding and still have some crunchy rice. We are starving so we will eat it. I added more salt and seasoned salt, creole seasoning, onion powder. I thought maybe next time to add instant rice for 20 mins. Has anyone tried this?
This is a family FAVORITE! I usually add an additional chicken thigh or two but no need to change a thing. This is a perfect dinner when it’s cold outside and you want left-overs the next day (which are delicious)! I have seriously made this maybe 4 times and it’s always a hit!
Do you happen to have instructions on how to adapt this recipe for the pressure cooker?
No, unfortunately I don’t. I haven’t tried that yet. :)
Made this tonight for a family of 6 (some of whom are very picky) and it was a huge hit. I followed The recipe as directed with one exception. After reading the reviews i cooked the rice (I used Brown) first and added it for the last half hour. Served it with jalapeño cheddar cornbread and it was the perfect for this snowy evening. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
So good! I had no issues with the rice cooking in about 25 minutes. I subbed red pepper and pre-cooked, shredded chicken breast because that was what i had on hand. I added the (thawed) chicken in withthe rice. Both my boys (9 months old, 4 years old) ate it and my husband had thirds!
One of my go-to recipes with a few modifications – I sub the white rice for brown and/or red rice and put it in towards the beginning since it takes longer to cook than white. I’ll also throw some shrimp in the pot when there’s only about 10-15 minutes left cook. And finally I double the cayenne for some extra kick. Very tasty.
Next time I’ll cook rice separate
Wish I had read the comments before I tossed the rice into the pot.
Overall though, I liked the flavor of the dish.
I used the Instant Pot’s slow cooker function, and the rice did not turn out. I added about 2 cups more liquid, finished half on the stove, and let the other half cook for another hour. Other than that, this recipe is great! It’s a bit too spicy for my mom- next time I’ll reduce the cayenne to 1/8 or 1/4 t.
I forgot to mention- I used the sauté function to cook the onions, celery, pepper, and garlic before adding the sausage. I also used fresh sausage instead of precooked.
The rice was a huge disappointment and ruined the whole thing. If I didn’t extend the cooking time and add more liquids it was crunchy/under cooked. When I did extend it to accommodate the rice cooking the other ingredients were mush like toddler food. Waste of time, effort, food and money! Will next time cook rice separate – brown or white as it happened with both.
Has anyone cooked this on low for 6-8 hours instead? If so, how did it turn out?
We did today! It was fabulous. This is my new favorite meal. We also set out sour cream for those folks that can’t handle the heat and it was great.
Did you add the rice for the entire cooking time when it was on low?
Great taste, poor directions on the rice.
I made this with a few changes. I sweated down the onions, peppers, and celery in a pan until they were translucent. I think that it helps with texture and flavor. I chopped up some leftover rotisserie chicken and tossed that in instead of the chicken breast. I didn’t do nearly as much cayenne pepper as she suggested and I was thankful because it was almost too spicy!
I wish that I had cooked the rice separately. I put the rice in at 3:30 pm and at 4:15 pm it was still crunchy even though I stirred it every fifteen minutes. I had to run, so I added an extra two cups of chicken stock. At 5 pm, I checked it again and the rice was still crunchy so I added two cups of water. Finally, at 5:30 pm, the rice had absorbed all of the liquid and was soft. So two hours! Not 20 minutes. On high, with extra liquid. It was a little stressful because I was feeding a group of people. If I had cooked the rice separately, it would have been perfect.
can anyone give the nutrition information on this recipe?
For 1/8 of the dish (I used chicken breast, Turkey sausage)
263 calories
7.1g fat
74 mg cholesterol
639 mg sodium
134 million mg potassium
23 grams carbs
2.3 grams dietary fiber
Everything was great till I threw the rice in. Let the rice cook the suggested time and it came out crunchy and the pot was totally dry. Tried to compensate by adding more liquid and ended up with mushy slop. I’d also suggest scaling the cayenne pepper back if you don’t like spicy foods.
I think I’ll try it again in the future as the recipe yields a good amount of food. However, I’ll probably cook the rice separate and drain out the liquid in the crockpot after mixing it in.
Made this today and it is delicious! I read comments from other reviewers, so made sure to stir my rice several times as it was cooking and it was perfect! My husband is Haitian and loves spicy food. He tasted it and loved the spice level in this jamabalya! It definitely has a kick, but is so delicious! Thank you for such a great crock pot recipe for two busy parents!!!
This was so delicious! My only hiccup was that the rice cooked unevenly in the slow cooker, the bottom was fully cooked and the top was crunchy. I stirred it up and cooked it for 20 more minutes, stirring every 5, but there was no fixing it. I think I’ll either stir it more next time or pre-cook the rice as another reviewer mentioned. But otherwise, this was great! Thanks for the recipe :)
If someone wanted to use brown rice instead of white rice, for how long should he or she continue to cook the contents of the slow cooker?
My guess is 35 or 40 minutes.
Advice, please.
I’ve never tried to cook brown rice in a slow cooker, so unfortunately I’m not sure it will work or how long it would need.
I just made this last evening and it was fantastic! I bought the garlic and onion diced tomatoes, and used brown town grain rice instead of white. I cooked the rice ahead of time for ~30 minutes and then added it to the crockpot when there was about an hour left. It turned out perfectly!
Will chicken breasts work instead of chicken thighs? that’s what I have in my freezer right now. I usually can get a 2.5 to 3 pound bag of frozen chicken breasts for just under $ 10 so I stock up on it for future meals. also would you recommend Andouille sausage ? or is the smoked sausage just highly recommended?
You’re right, this does sound like a do it on the weekend kind of recipe.
This recipe looks similar to how jollof is made in Ghana. Jollof is a really tasty dish full of flavour. My boys love it. Your recipe looks good as well and I can’t wait to try it. Thanks.
Has anyone tried to make this recipe with BROWN rice ? The type I have takes usually between 40 and 50 min on a stovetop to cook. I’d like to try it this way but don’t want to ruin the recipe
I have a feeling that it won’t work so well in the slow cooker.
I have made this before and LOVED it! This time I wanted to make it with quinoa instead of white rice; how much quinoa and water do you think I would need?
Finally made this recipe using Beef Kielbasa. Even with a couple of missteps, delicious. Thanks for another winner!
My sausage came out a little on the soft side. Any ideas for combating that if you’re not a fan of that texture?
Browning it in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker *might* help, but otherwise I think that’s just going to be one of the side effects of doing this in a slow cooker opposed to stove top.
This is an excellent recipe, but I would soak the rice in room temperature filtered water for 20-30 minutes prior to adding it to the Jambalaya to ensure evenly cooked rice. Then once the Jambalaya is finished remove from heat (i.e. put in a cold dish) to prevent gummy rice.
Can I use parboiled rice instead of white rice? Also, Rotel instead of canned diced tomatoes? Thank you!
You can use Rotel, but it will probably give it more of a southwest flavor. Parboiled rice will probably work well and will likely take less time to cook.
Thank you!
I’m always a fan of your recipes here but not this one. I tried it and I should agree that it tastes kinda bland but I like the addition of diced tomatoes.Be sure to add salt and pepper and might be better to cook the sausage first and then add it to the Crock-Pot along with it’s juices for color and more flavor coz it turned out pale and not appetizing to look at.
Recipe is great!!! Flavor is awesome. The Only thing to change.. Which I find very crucial… Cook the rice separately and then add to crock pot. What I found when I followed the recipe was that the rice actually took over 2 hours cook. Dinner was not ready at 630, we waited to eat until 8pm and it was still a little hard. It sucked up all the juice and became very dry. Will do again, but making rice on the side before adding it in.
Jambalaya is one of those dishes that you just usually seem to always have the ingredients on hand for. Made yours twice and we love it. Hubby loves taking the leftovers for lunch all week too
I did this recipe exactly and the rice did not cook after 25 minutes. I took forever and by that time the whole thing turned to mush and was garbage.
Im about to make this recipe for the 2nd time, I ran into the same problem…but this time I am using minute rice, hopefully that will solve the undercooked rice problem
This came out a bit ‘wetter’ than I was expecting, but the flavor was still really good! I might try measuring some of the tomato liquid into the 2 cups of broth next time in hopes of a slightly dryer end product – or am I just misunderstanding jambalaya? The regular recipe from your site is usually the one I use, but the rice grains tend to break and cook a little unevenly.
Yes, it shouldn’t be too wet. You may need to adjust the liquid levels like you said. Sometimes products or equipment vary a bit and you might not get the exact same results. :)
Would this work with uncooked chorizo?
I’d brown it before adding to the slow cooker.
It will work but you won’t have the flavory goodness that you get when you brown the chorizo first.
What a winner! I didn’t have any problems that other people talked about with the rice, but I did stir it quite bit when I added it in so maybe that helped? Everyone in the house went back for thirds it was great!
Great recipe. I will save my sanity next time and just use cooked rice instead of letting it cook in the slow cooker. I ended up with some of the rice cooked and some of it crispy. So I left it in longer until all of the rice was cooked, but some was just mushy.
The recipe tasted great though. I will do it again, just with cooked rice added at the end.
Other than that, nothing could be better, except maybe more chicken.
Do you think this would cook well on low for 8 hours? I’d like to make it on a work day, which means I’ll have to start it around 7:30 a.m. and won’t get back to it until 6 p.m. Thanks!
Yes, but you’ll need it to get up to the high temperature before adding the rice. The liquid really needs to be simmering good to cook the rice correctly. So, if you can turn it up to high when you get home, let it heat, then add the rice that would work.
Awesome – thank you!
My sausage came out a little softer than I like. What do you think of adding it an hour or so into the cooking time instead? Or would it not be fully cooked at that point?
Excellent will definately clear your sinuses. Definately making this again
Wonderful recipe
Hi-just wondering if you have the nutritional info on this recipe.
No, I’m sorry, I do not have nutritional information for my recipes.
Amazing recipe. Although I didn’t find that the rice needed much longer to cook. Maybe it was just my cooker but I cooked as the recipe stated and the rice needed more chicken broth, and much longer to cook. Other than that it was awesome!
Could you sub in chicken breasts or other boneless parts?
You can, although breasts tend to be a bit drier than the thighs.
At which point would you suggest to shred the chicken thighs in the recipe? It is not mentioned in the recipe.
Just before you add the rice. Sorry I keep forgetting to fix that in the directions!
This is a poor recipe. Rice was not cooked fully after 25 minutes. I would advise against using this recipe. Keep searching
Can I use brown rice
Unfortunately that won’t work as brown rice needs more liquid and a longer cooking time.
When you add the meat to the crockpot is it already cooked? or uncooked?
Uncooked.
Really good! Definitely will make again! Instead of using chicken thighs, I used shrimp and added then after the rice was done and then waited 15 minutes. I also might add I used minute rice and everything turned out great! Got so many compliments! Thank you!
I finally got around to making this last night for dinner. I made it in my new Instant Pot, and it came out really well!
Tips if anyone wants to convert this for use with an Instant Pot or other electric cooker:
-I used the saute function to brown my chicken thighs, sausage, and celery/onion/bell pepper mix, in batches, in that order.
-I cooked it on the Meat/Stew setting for 30 minutes (it probably would have been done in 20, but I’m a newbie to this kind of cooking)! The smell was AMAZING, and the thighs well fall-apart tender, moist, and delicious.
-After releasing the built-up pressure, I added the rice and finished it like the recipe suggested; on the high setting of the slow cooker. It was done after about 25 minutes; I let it go for an extra 5 and the bottom scorched just the slightest bit-it was still really tasty, though!
I got to have some of the leftovers for lunch today, and it’s still fantastic.
Thanks for sharing the IP technique! :)
I made it again last night, and FYI 8 minutes on Manual High Pressure is perfect if you’d rather pressure cook the rice instead of slow cooking it.
Awesome, thanks for the feedback!
How do the chicken thighs work since they’re put in whole? Do they just fall apart? Please help explain!
Yes, I’m sorry, I forgot to add that in there. They will be extremely tender and you can just shred them with the utensil that you use to stir. :)
If I were to make the rice separately would I have to adjust anything else the recipe, liquid wise?
Yes, but then it wouldn’t really be jambalaya. :) For jambalaya, the rice needs to be cooked in the liquid with the rest of the ingredients so that it soaks up all the delicious flavors.
This sustained us all week…deliciously! The smoked sausage I found seemed a bit too plain so I added some chorizo which gave it a nice kick. We had an unused shrimp ring leftover in the freezer from a party this summer, so after the rice was done I tossed in the shrimp for a few minutes. I also completely forgot about the green onions-this was still scrumptious! Will be making it again!
(Site won’t let me rate this 5 stars- but it is!)
Can you make this in the Instant Pot? If so, how long?
I haven’t tried it, but I think I would do 20 minutes on high with everything but the rice, then add the rice and turn it on again… I’d have to check the manual to see how long they usually cook rice. I’m not sure if just using the “rice” function would still work with all those other ingredients in there. Maybe, though!
This was really good. We cooked it on low all day and then cranked the heat to high and added the rice. My slow cooker (a Ninja) has a little hole on the top and I think that affected things….it took my long grain white rice over an hour to cook. But once it was done, it was very good, but next time I will use more chicken and will use Aidell’s andouille sausage.
Man, this was really good! I am such a fan of this blog, and I also do not have a ton of time, so my Crockpot is my best buddy. Every time you post a Crockpot recipe, I try it, and this one was particularly good. Love the spiciness and how you were able to add the rice directly to the Crockpot- most recipes have you cook it in a separate pan. Good job!
Beth, how should I change this recipe given that I will have to use brown rice instead of white?
It’s not an easy swap, unfortunately. Brown rice needs more time and moisture to cook through, so I’d have to experiment with it to find out exactly how to alter it to make it work.
If you cook the brown rice for 1/2 the time required then add it to the jambalaya to finish cooking it should come out just right. You can 1/2 cook the brown rice the night before then strain it, if your short on time.
I have left over frozen shrimp from your dragon noodle recipe. If I want to add to this recipe, when should I put it in? Thanks!
I’ve never cooked shrimp in a slow cooker before, so I can’t say for certain. But shrimp does cook very quickly and if you over cook it, it can become tough and rubbery. So, I would either sauté it quickly in a skillet and then stir it into the jambalaya after it has cooked, or add it at the very end with the rice.
Thank you!
I put thawed shrimp in after the rice was cooked, and let it all continue cooking for about 20-ish minutes … Just enough to heat the shrimp without making them rubbery. Worked great.
This recipe made so much food for so little. My husband even ate the leftovers, something he rarely does! Please post more recipes like it.
I am always looking for good slow cooker recipes (that don’t involve condensed soup). My family loves Jambalaya, and I was pretty excited to see it adapted to the slow cooker so we could expand our routine menu. I used Aidell’s Chorizo (chicken) rather than smoked sausage, and followed the recipe otherwise. The family loved it – especially my 14 y/o son who packed the leftovers for his lunch every day this week. This will be a recipe we make again and again. Thank you, Beth!
I made this using smoked chicken sausage and I shared it as a Meal for a New Mom. My fam doesn’t like cooked bell pepper (we are in the Pacific NW so I think it is just a regional taste thing). Made a lot and it was filling. I had never tried a rice dish in the crock pot.
This is super easy and tasty! The only issue I had (which was probably me, not the recipe) is that right after I made it, some of the grains of rice were not fully cooked while others were very soft, but I’m guessing this could have been prevented if I’d stirred it more, as it seems that the grains on the bottom absorbed more of the liquid. However, after a day in the fridge this issue seems to have mostly resolved itself (I think re-heating it steamed more softness into the uncooked grains too), and it’s one of the few recipes I’ve made that actually tastes better as leftovers! For once I’m excited to eat my leftovers! And I’m happy it will freeze well too!
I mean, how much liquid is needed to make it on the stovetop?
Making this on the stove top should be almost the same as using a slow cooker. I would use a heavy cast iron dutch oven and set the heat at medium low. Follow Beth’s recipe and adjust the heat as needed. In the winter I cook many stews and one pot meals on the wood stove. I use a couple tricks to control the temperature and let it simmer all day. It’s all the same concept of low temperature and long cooking times.
Jolene, I would highly, highly recomend following her “pastalaya” recipe which is made on the stovetop. You should be able to sub the pasta for rice. At my house, we do the rice seperate anyway.
Jolene, if you want to make this on the stovetop, I would use Beth’s “chorizo chicken jambalaya” and then just sub in smoked sausage for the chorizo. The seasoning mix is basically the same as this one and it’s a stovetop recipe. I’ve also subbed in mild Italian sausage in that recipe, squeezed out of the casing.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
Jambalaya is one of those foods that I had always heard about but never knew what it was. All I knew is that it was from Louisiana. I didn’t have any store bought smoked sausage so I put some hot Italian sausage in the smoker for 2 hours. The end result was delicious and easy. I’ll be making this again with different sausages until I decide which I like most. In my winter work I seldom have access to electricity so I usually bring a hot lunch in a vacuum bottle. This jambalaya and many of your other one pot meals are perfect for the thermos.
I made this yesterday and portioned it out as my meal prep for the weeks lunches. I am currently eating it for lunch and it is amazing! I used 2 chicken breasts instead of thighs and had no issues with dryness. I also didn’t have any cayenne pepper so i substituted 1/4 tsp chili powder and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. I also used a spicy andouille sausage, so my jambalaya has a pleasant kick (for me at least, I am a wimp when it comes to spicy food). I did end up salting my portion after trying it, but this is a killer recipe that will become a staple in my house!! Thanks!
Made this today and ate it after the steepest ten mile hike. It was delicious and such a hit! Excited to eat leftovers all week! Thanks.
I tried this in an Instant Pot and I think I ruined it. I followed the instructions but most of the rice didn’t cook through. I hope there’s a way to salvage this. I’d hate to dig out all the rice and throw that out.
Making this tomorrow night! Do you think leftovers would freeze well?
Yes, this should freeze very well. :)
Just made this for dinner! I added some cooked black beans (used 1 c dry, so whatever that is cooked) and didn’t use the chicken thighs. It was pretty good! I ended up serving it with some cajun seasoning because I felt like it needed a bit more flavor. I’m not sure I’m sold on all of the tomatoes in there, though. It made it smell like chili, which I’m not sure if I appreciate that. I think I need to use a spicier sausage next time, too. The smoked turkey kielbasa just didn’t cut it.
All of that aside, it is definitely tasty, but I’ll just have to rework it a bit to suit my tastes.
Okay, so I’m a total noob when it comes to using the slow cooker, and last time I managed to make myself ill by trying to do chicken in there and I don’t think I did it properly. Just to make sure, should I just throw the chicken in without searing it in a pan or anything first?
Yes, it can go in raw. You should never put frozen meat in a slow cooker, though. Make sure you aren’t using a delay-start timer or anything so that the chicken doesn’t sit in there unheated for any length of time. I also prefer to cook on high when I am using raw meat just to make sure it heats up fast enough.
How did you prep the chicken? Looks like it goes in whole but then seems shredded in a later photo. Do you let it soak the juices while intact and then shred when you add the rice?
Ah, I’m sorry, I need to clarify that in the directions. I put them in whole, but shredded them before I added the rice. Thanks for catching that!
how can you do this in an instant pot?
brown sausage on saute, remove
add veggies and saute
add everything but rice and put on soup mode
quick release
add rice, hit rice button
quick release
inhale food?
sound about right?
That’s what I would try, yes. :) I haven’t tested it, but that would be my first guess.
Soup mode for 30min, two cups white rice on rice mode (low pressure 12min)
Came out perfect!
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing those results! :)
I was wondering how to adapt for the InstantPot too! Thanks for working it out AND sharing it!
That’s intereting…I have made dishes like this and just put it on high w everything in there for like 15-20 min. Though that could dry out the chicken…hmmm… I hope anyone who tries it (including me!) reports back!
Er *intereSting*
Made this today, and it was a hit! I actually used half the amount of chicken, and half the amount of sausage to make my buck stretch even further, and it was still pretty hearty. Will be making again. :)
Do you recommend adjusting the liquid ratio for an Instant Pot pressure cooking method? Or is it not recommended to pressure cook rice and chicken, due to different cooking times?
I haven’t tried this in the Instant Pot, but I would definitely do everything without the rice first, then add the rice and cook on the rice function second because you don’t want to over cook the rice. :)
Thanks for the tips! I ended up testing with the IP over the weekend (before I saw your comments), following all of your measurements and it was AMAZING! Only change I made was cutting up the chicken breast into chunks to help with cooking times (we didn’t have thighs on hand). Chicken breast ended up being a touch dry with leftovers, so your original recommendation for thighs would probably help with that. 8 min. manual on high pressure cooked all of the ingredients in one pot and the rice texture was to our preference. We’ll absolutely be making this again!
Hi! Could I use brown rice instead, or white basmati rice? Those are the only kinds I have and I want to use them up before I buy more!
White basmati should substitute for any white rice–brown rice takes longer to cook than white, but might work just fine given the time in the slow cooker.
It’s funny–slow cookers are supposed to be time savers, but the only time I ever use mine is on the weekends when I have morning prep time. During the week, I depend on either my freezer or meals I can put together in half an hour, often using quickly grilled or sauteed meats as a foundation. Salads and leftovers are other weekend saviours
Hi Beth!
This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! I have approximately 15 people to feed this Saturday so I’m thinking I’ll make this and just double the recipe. Will it work the same way or are there some modifications I’ll have to make?
Thanks!
Honestly, I’ve never cooked a slow cooker recipe THAT large before. I’m not sure if it will require extra cooking time. It might depend on your slow cooker. If anything, you’ll probably only need extra time for the rice.
Okay, thanks! I’ll let you know how it goes! :D
Have you ever tried a slow cooker recipe like this but with sauteing the garlic/onions first, then adding them to the pot? Is there a flavor difference because you just have them simmering from raw?
You won’t find a big difference with sautéing the onions and garlic first, but you will get a big flavor boost if you brown the sausage first. But, you’ll want to get all the good flavor off the bottom of the pan, so I suggest using some of the broth to deglaze the pan before you pour it into the slow cooker.
I understand how you feel. Last year, I saw the terrible flooding in my home state of SC. And my first boss was murdered in a church in Charleston. I saw how these thing affected, not just me, but my beloved city and state and (in the latter case) people across the whole country and it does take an emotional toll. The best thing you can do is offer any help you can including making donations and to reach out to your loved ones.
I have been thinking of you since I heard of the flooding. A few people from my state (CT) that work for the Red Cross left on Saturday to go to LA. The team is specifically there to cook and can prepare 300 meals a day. I have been praying for everyone affected by the floods. I wish I could do more than that.
I will have to check out the instructions on slow cooking in olivermy new instant pot!
I’ve been wanting to try jambalaya. This recipe looks so simple and so good that I might finally do it!
looks delish, and I have a question. If I were to use brown rice instead, how would I adjust the recipe/cook time?
It would definitely need a different liquid ratio and more cooking time, although I can not suggest specifics without having tested it.
I’ve been looking for that information too, since I’m not supposed to have white rice. What I’ve found so far says to add a 1/4 more liquid and increase the cooking time by 1/2. I hope to give it a try this weekend to find out if it works.
Reporting back. Add about 3/4 cup more liquid and about 20-30 minutes extra cooking time. The 1/4 or 1/2 cup extra and 1/2 or 10-13 minutes extra time didn’t quite work out right. I didn’t add enough liquid to bring it to 3/4 cup extra but a 1/2 cup was definitely not quite enough.
“JAMBALAYA!!!!!”
– SEINFELD
(I can’t believe no one posted this)
Recipe looks great. Saved to file.
Is there something I can substitute the bell pepper for? I’m allergic to Bell Peppers :( this recipe looks yummy and I would love this make this dish.
Just use mire poix instead — celery, carrots, and onion. Not the same flavor, but the same spirit, I would imagine.
Beth, this looks delicious as always! I’ve been craving Cajun, so this will hit the spot.
I have a small slow cooker. I plan to use the full amount of turkey andouille sausage and half the amounts for everything else. Does that sound like it would work? Also, does this blend of spices give an authentic Cajun flavor? If we like it spicy, should I add more?
Thanks so much for this awesome blog. Your Dragon Noodles is one of my 13yo daughter’s very favorite things. We like spicy around here. :-)
My jambalaya was not very spicy, so if you like it hot definitely add more cayenne. :) And maybe more black pepper. Halving everything except the sausage shoud probably work because the sausage doesn’t let off a lot of moisture so it shouldn’t mess up the rice/liquid ratio. That being said, you never know for sure until you try. :P
I never understood how devastating flooding is until my town experienced it last year…I live in SC and we had a ‘1000 year flood’ last year which caused many areas to experience heavy rainfall for 3 days, destroyed many friends homes, and destroyed roads, dams, and bridges. Even a year later, as I run my normal running route I see homes that are still being repaired, and my friends are just now starting to get back in their homes.
Now I have a much better appreciation for the power of rain and the damage it can cause. My heart and prayers go out to all of those affected in Louisiana. May they be encouraged today and in the days to come by love, support, and help from family and friends. A little goes a long way in a time such as this, and it is amazing to see the communities rally together.
Thank you. :) They’re calling this a 1000 year flood as well. :( Totally freak weather event that no one ever expected.
There’s a slow cooker in the break room at my job. Tomorrow, I’m going to put it to use. I asked the guy who brought it in, and he said it was okay with him, so long as I cleaned it afterwards. I got everything I needed from the store, it’s all prepped and waiting in the fridge.
Tomorrow is going to be an interesting shift at work!
It went great! Everyone that tried it absolutely loved it,myself included. Since it was so successful, I’m going to look for more budget bytes slow cooker recipes to make at work.
Could I put chicken breasts in instead of thighs? And you mentioned green onions at the end- would you just garnish with those or cook in the slow cooker?
Add the green onions fresh on top after cooking. :) You could use chicken breast, but it does tend to be a bit more dry than thighs. You might want to cut it into chunks before adding it to the slow cooker.
Is the sausage the pre cooked type?
Although it’s smoked sausage, it does need to be cooked before eating.
Do you think this could turn into a Low for 8 Hours recipe if you cook the rice separately in a rice cooker?
I was thinking about that, but you’d have to reduce the liquid by at least four cups, to keep it from being soup with rice in it; and the whole point of Jambalya is to have the meal be a one pot deal, with the rice absorbing all the delicious flavor from the sausage-y broth.
It would probably be easier to just cook it on high all day, then add the rice when you get home, let that cook for the 20-30 minutes or so, then eat. I have a rice cooker that doubles as a slow cooker, so I could probably toss everything but the rice in, let that simmer all day, and then finish adding the rice and setting it to the rice cook setting when I get home. That’s usually how I make it.
Maggie is right, if you do the rice separately you will probably want to reduce the broth to keep it from being a total soup. If you want to do it on low, I’d suggest turning it up to high for a bit before adding the rice, just to make sure it’s boiling first.
I’m a NOLA girl myself and wow it’s been absolutely heartbreaking and surreal to watch so many lives in distress. I’m so glad to hear your friends and family are safe and accounted for. Oh — and thanks for always interpreting local cuisine in ways that feel approachable! I never learned how to cook like a proper New Orleanian, but I’m trying to catch up :) Love your blog!
Would this recipe work with the slow cooker on low (~7-8 hrs?) before adding the rice?
You will want to turn it up to high for a bit at the end, just to make sure the liquid is really hot and simmering before adding the rice. I’d suggest at least 30min to 1 hr on high before adding the rice.