This easy Slow Cooker Jambalaya is the ultimate comfort food recipe. It’s filled with three different proteins, a variety of vegetables and is packed with deep, savory creole flavors. Cooking in the crockpot is the best way to prepare this delicious and filling meal for your hungry family and friends without having to spend hours in front of a stove!
This recipe is the BEST when I need to feed a crowd… or my really hungry teens! It is such a great one-pot meal. There’s so much bold flavor packed in and has quite the variety of hearty ingredients. Nobody leaves the dinner table hungry. And the best part? Easy prep and easy clean up! Nothing is better on busy weeknights.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- One pot – In one easy dish you’ll be serving your family protein, veggies, carbs and so much flavor. They will love it and you’ll be the dinner hero!
- Adaptable – You can make this dish with your preferred proteins, seafood, and even added veggies. Adjust it to your family’s taste!
- Easy – There is truly nothing easier than placing all ingredients into a crockpot and walking away for 3 hours! Enjoy not having to stand in front of a stove to prepare this classic dish!
- Hearty & filling – This dish is so filling in the best way! It’s hearty, nutritious and even your biggest eaters will be satisfied.
What is jambalaya?
Jambalaya is a beloved, one pot Louisiana creole dish. It blends rice with various meats such as chicken and sausage, seafood, the “holy trinity” of vegetables (onion, celery and green bell pepper), tomatoes, spices and cajun seasonings. Everything is “jumbled” or “all mixed up,” hence the “jambalaya” name. For this easy recipe, we’re preparing the rice separately so it doesn’t get mushy in the slow cooker. But the bold cajun flavors are 100% carrying the tradition behind this dish!
Recipe Notes
This Slow Cooker Jambalaya recipe is as simple as promised! Just combine all ingredients into a crockpot and cook for 3.5 hours for a family friendly dinner.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make easy jambalaya recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken thighs – Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You could also use chicken breasts for a lower calorie protein option, but thighs will give more flavor.
- Andouille sausage – Any brand of Louisiana cajun-style sausage works.
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced tomatoes with green chiles- I use Rotel
- Onion and peppers– I prefer to grab a bag of frozen onion and peppers. They’ll come sliced. If you can’t find this, you can also chop your own onions and peppers.
- Diced celery– You can chop your own or buy pre-chopped from the produce section of most stores.
- Cajun seasoning, dried oregano & dried thyme– For the cajun seasoning, you can use your favorite brand or try making your own homemade cajun seasoning! It makes 2 dozen servings and will last you quite awhile!
- Hot sauce– Choose your favorite brand.
- Chicken broth– One can
- Shrimp– Grab a bag of frozen, cooked shrimp with the tails off. You’ll dump these directly into your crockpot near the end of cooking.
- Jasmine rice– Jasmine is my favorite rice, but you can use any white rice that you prefer, even instant rice. Brown rice takes longer to prepare, but is another option.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Slow Cooker Veggie Jambalaya– You can keep the proteins in this dish and add additional vegetables to make it a veggie-heavy dish OR make it a complete vegetarian dish altogether! Some great added vegetables could be red bell pepper, okra, green chiles, red kidney beans, chickpeas, or black-eyed peas. Tofu or plant-based sausage would be a way to add protein if you choose to make this a vegetarian dish.
- Slow Cooker Seafood Jambalaya– If you’re a seafood fan, feel free to add more shrimp or consider subbing out another protein with crawfish or crabmeat.
- Slow Cooker Spicy Jambalaya – You can give this dish more of a kick than it already has by upping your spicy game! Consider adding additional hot sauce, use Hot Rotel instead of “regular,” or toss in some sliced jalapenos or green chiles to really notch up the fiery flavors. A teaspoon cayenne pepper would also add significant heat.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make this easy slow cooker jambalaya.
Place chicken thighs and andouille sausage into the slow cooker.
Add tomatoes, cajun seasoning, oregano, thyme and hot sauce.
Add celery, onions and peppers, then pour chicken broth over the top. Cook on high for 3 hours.
Add shrimp and cook on low for 30 more minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the shrimp – The shrimp will turn pink/opaque when they’re ready. If you cook them too long, they’ll be rubbery.
- Multitask– Near meal completion, you’ll toss in the frozen shrimp for 30 additional minutes of cooking. This would be the perfect time to go ahead cook your rice.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Pre-chopped celery – Celery is the only ingredient you need to chop in this recipe. To save yourself some time, grab some pre-chopped celery from the store. It can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
- Prep in advance – This recipe is one giant short cut from the traditional stove top recipe. The only thing that would make this easier at cook time is if you pre-cut your chicken thighs and slice your sausage in advance. You could go ahead and mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and set it in the fridge until you’re ready to place it all into the crockpot for cooking.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this easy crockpot jambalaya recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- Cut the chicken and sausage, chop the celery and combine all ingredients (except the shrimp) into a freezer safe bag or container.
- When you’re ready to begin cooking, place all contents into the slow cooker. Since you’ll be cooking from frozen, the crockpot will need to cook another hour or two to ensure the chicken is cooked through.
- Add shrimp and cook on low for 30 more minutes.
How to Freeze Slow Cooker Jambalaya After Cooking
- Allow jambalaya to cool completely.
- Combine all ingredients into a freezer bag or airtight container and place in freezer.
- When you’re ready to enjoy, allow to thaw in fridge, then warm on stovetop or in slow cooker on low.
What to Serve with Jambalaya
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of cajun Louisiana, it will pair well with many of your favorite southern side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
Crockpot Jambalaya Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Jambalaya Stuffed Bell Peppers– Mix the leftover jambalaya and cooked rice together and stuff into bell peppers. Top with a bit of cheese and bake in oven.
- Jambalaya Soup – Simmer the leftover jambalaya, over medium heat, with additional chicken broth and maybe another can of diced tomatoes for added liquid.
- Jambalaya Casserole– Mix leftover jambalaya, rice and cream of mushroom soup and bake in a casserole dish in the oven until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ’s
What’s the difference between gumbo and jambalaya?
Both are iconic Louisiana dishes. Gumbo is a thick stew that begins with a roux and is served over rice. Jambalaya is a drier, rice-based dish where the rice is traditionally cooked directly in the flavorful broth.
What is andouille sausage?
Andouille sausage is a staple of Louisiana cajun and creole cuisine. It’s known for its bold and spicy flavor- packed with garlic, cayenne and black pepper. It has a firm, chunky texture, versus a finely ground meat.
What kind of rice is served with jambalaya?
Long grain, white rice is the best choice. It stays fluffy and absorbs flavor without turning mushy. Other popular choices are jasmine or basmati.
More EASY Slow Cooker Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy slow cooker recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Crockpot Pineapple Pork
- Crockpot Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
- Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Wings
Slow Cooker Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
- 14 ounces smoked andouille sausage, cut into rounds
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, (I used Rotel)
- 12 ounces frozen onions and peppers
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 14.5 ounce can chicken broth
- 12 ounce frozen cooked shrimp tail off
- 1.5 cups jasmine rice
Instructions
- Add the chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onions and peppers, celery, cajun seasoning, oregano, thyme and hot sauce to the slow cooker. Stir, then pour the broth over the top.
- Cook on high for 3 hours, then add the shrimp and cook on low for 30 more minutes.
- Cook rice per package instructions.
- Once done, spoon rice into bowls and serve the jamabalya right over top of the rice. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley (optional) Enjoy!
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