Slow Cooker Jambalaya

$10.52 recipe / $1.32 serving

published Aug 15, 2016updated Sep 27, 2024

4.14 from 102 votes

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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.

Top view of a bowl of Slow Cooker Jambalaya sitting on a patterned napkin with a fork on the side

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.

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.

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!

Top view of Slow Cooker Jambalaya in slow cooker

Slow Cooker Jambalaya Recipe

4.14 from 102 votes

This easy Slow Cooker Jambalaya recipe is a Louisiana classic made simple, with all the big flavor and half the effort.

Author: Beth – Budget Bytes

Servings 8 (about 10 cups)

Prep 15

Cook 4 30

Total 4 45

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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.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Notes

*The package of sausage I bought was 14oz, but any amount from 12 to 16oz. (3/4 to 1 lb.) will work just fine.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 16gFat: 13gSodium: 762mgFiber: 3g

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Side view of a bowl of Slow Cooker Jambalaya sitting on patterned napkin

How to Make SLow Cooker Jambalaya – Step by Step Photos

Celery, onion and bell pepper in bottom of Slow Cooker

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.

Sliced Sausage, Chicken Thighs and Spices added to 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).

Diced Tomatoes and Parsley added to slow cooker

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.

Rice is submerged down in broth in slow cooker

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.

Stirring dish with wooden spoon in slow cooker

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.

Beth MoncelI’m a food lover, number cruncher, and meticulous budgeter. I love science and art, and the way they come together when I cook. I love to create, problem solve, and learn new things. Making great food is my passion, my purpose, and my favorite thing to share with others.More About Beth

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

What Is Jambalaya?

Ingredients

What Type of Sausage To Use

Jambalaya vs Gumbo

How to Store