I missed the perfect window to post this recipe, I know, I know.
But wouldn't it figure that I didn't start craving jambalaya until the day after Mardi Gras?
So here I am, two weeks into May, proclaiming "better late than never" in-between mouthfuls of leftover Slow Cooker Jambalaya. Realistically though, can there ever be a bad time for cajun-seasoned meat and rice? I, for one, will inhale a bowl of chicken, shrimp, and sausage at any opportunity. I don't care what time of year it is. I don't even care how full I am.
I offer up the five bowls of jambalaya I ate this week while tinkering with this recipe as proof.
Yes, I did say five. Five delicious bowls, five back-to-back meals of the same thing, and I'm still not sick of it. That's how you know we're talkin' about the good stuff here.
So what makes this Slow Cooker Jambalaya so delicious? It's all that New Orleans-inspired flavor crammed into one dish-- the holy trinity of bell pepper, celery, and onion; the ground pepper-loaded cajun spices; the smoky andouille sausage-- that makes you think, "How the heck did I make this on a weeknight?"
You know what I'm talking about. It's just one of those recipes that feels like it should take a ton of effort, when in all actuality all you have to do is dump the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it, and go about your day. About a half hour before serving, mix in the uncooked rice and shrimp and you'll have yourself one heck of a tasty meal. It's a maximum impact, minimal effort type of recipe.
Now, this recipe has a bit of a kick to it, so you may want to omit the jalapeno if you or your family members are shy to spiciness. Also, feel free to switch things up to fit what's in your fridge! If you're not a shrimp fan, leave it out. Toss in extra veggies if you have some that need to be used. The Slow Cooker Jambalaya is just as versatile as it is delicious.
And no matter how you tweak it (or don't-- James and I think it's perfect as-is), don't forget to take a picture and share it on Instagram with the tag #hostthetoast! That way, it will show up on the You Made It page so you can show it off!
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Slow Cooker Jambalaya
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
- 3 small bell peppers, stemmed and diced
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 (14 ounces) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ¾ cups uncooked instant brown rice
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- Chopped parsley and green onions, to garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, sausage, peppers, celery, onion, garlic, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, half of the cajun seasoning, and the bay leaf to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Taste the jambalaya. Add the remaining Cajun seasoning, or to taste.
- Make a slurry out of the cornstarch and a tablespoon of water. Remove the bay leaf from the slow cooker and discard. Mix the cornstarch slurry into the jambalaya and add in the brown rice and shrimp. Cover and continue to cook on high until the rice and shrimp are cooked through, about 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle with green onion and parsley and serve.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 7 hours 30 mins
Raechul says
Hi Morgan,
I have a shrimp allergy and I was wondering if I follow your recipe without the shrimp if you think it will be just as good and true to flavor? Or is there something else I can add to replace the shrimp? I'm not allergic to crab or lobster, just shrimp, scallops, and some fish. Or maybe there's a different seasoning I can add? What are your thoughts?
Thanks!
Morgan says
You can definitely just omit the shrimp =) No need to substitute-- but you can use extra chicken to make up for it!
Lisa the Kitten says
Hello from New Orleans! Great jambalaya recipe, with a somewhat healthier take (though you'd get run out of town down here if brown rice was used instead of white)! Just a couple of things: usually as jambalaya is the traditional dish made for any large event (as it's so easy to make such a lot), it's not all that spicy - we like spice, not necessarily heat. Also, Mardi Gras has only the one "s". But thank you for featuring NOLA cuisine!!!
Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!
Chris Sontag says
Hi Morgan,
I noticed in your recipe you mention to add half of the Cajun seasoning at the beginning but you didn't indicate when to add the remaining portion of it. I'm just going to assume you add it with the cornstarch slurry, rice, and shrimp. I guess you could add it at the very end or all of it from the beginning, but I'm sure it'll it taste fine in what ever order it's added.
Warmly,
Chris
Edit: I made the recipe today and added the 2nd half o the Cajun spices as mentioned above and it tasted just fine 🙂 Great recipe and the group I made it for really enjoyed it. Thanks, Morgan! 🙂
Morgan says
Thanks Chris! I fixed it now, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Selby says
Delicious! My husband and I meal prepped this on a Sunday and ate it for lunch throughout the week. It definitely gets better as it sits and the flavors combine more. I found that I didn't need the cornstarch slurry, in fact I even added a little water in with the rice and shrimp.
Sherea says
Hello, I'm making this tonight and used regular rice rather than instant by accident ... how much longer does it need to cook? Thanks?