Crock Pot Jambalaya
Crock Pot Jambalaya is an easy, hands-off way to enjoy the flavors of New Orleans at home. Rest assured this is NOT an authentic recipe and it isn’t meant to be. It’s a crockpot dinner inspired by Jambalaya. A big, hearty meal that feels like comfort food with very little effort.
Every bite is packed with sausage, tender chicken, plump shrimp, and a blend of Cajun spices that warms you up without being too hot or spicy. However, if you prefer a hotter, spicier flavor, you can certainly crank up the heat.
Slow cooking melds the flavors together, creating a rich and savory base that’s perfect over rice. It’s the kind of recipe that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen but thanks to the slow cooker you didn’t!
Easy Dinners For Busy Days
Crock Pot Jambalaya is perfect for busy days when having the time to cook dinner feels impossible. Toss everything into the crock pot and let it do the work. It’s reliable, flavorful, and makes plenty for family dinners or meal prep.
My biggest best tip for successful crockpot cooking is: do not stir it! If you stir crock pot dinners, you’ll break up the meat and mash the vegetables, and while it will taste fine, it will turn into a mushy mess.
Make This Dinner
It’s best to try this recipe for the first time on a night when you’re not pressed for time since every slow cooker cooks a little differently. Once you’ve tested it and know the timing in your own slow cooker, you’ll be able to plan it for nights when dinner needs to be ready right on schedule.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Being prepared with a shopping list makes weeknight cooking stress-free. Planning ahead ensures you have everything ready to drop into the crock pot, making dinner as simple as pressing “start.”
- boneless skinless chicken breast
- Andouille sausage-swap it out for smoked sausage see notes below
- yellow onion
- celery
- chicken broth
- oregano
- bay leaves
- garlic
- Cajun seasoning-Slap Yo Mama or Tony’s works well here
- salt
- pepper
- cayenne
- petite diced tomatoes with juice
- medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- cooked rice for serving-white, instant, or brown rice work perfectly
Making Changes
Swap the andouille sausage for any smoked sausage you prefer. I’ve used our local reindeer sausage with great success. Just make sure it’s smoky, and you should be good.
Adjust the cayenne to make it as mild or as spicy as your family prefers. If you happen to have a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce on hand, you can add one of the peppers to the mix. They are very hot, so add them cautiously.
And for heat lovers in a houseful of people who prefer mild dishes, simply put the can of Cajun seasoning on the table. That way, they can add heat to their hearts’ content. Put their hot sauce on the table as well, and they’ll be just fine.
Leftovers
Pack leftovers in airtight containers to enjoy for lunch the next day or to meal prep for the week. This jambalaya reheats well and tastes just as good after a night in the fridge.
Crock Pot Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb andouille sausage sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning I used Slap Ya Mama
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1–2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 (14 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 lb medium shrimp peeled and deveined, thawed
Instructions
- Add the chicken and sausage to the crockpot
- Add the onion and celery
- Pour in the chicken broth
- Add the oregano, bay leaves, garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and cayenne
- Pour the diced tomatoes and their juice over the top
- Give everything a gentle stir to combine
- Cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 4–5 hours
- Add the thawed shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time
- Stir gently and allow the shrimp to cook through
- Serve the jambalaya over cooked rice
