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This Crockpot Jambalaya brings the vibrant, smoky flavors of New Orleans to your kitchen with minimal effort. Tender chicken, plump shrimp, and spicy andouille sausage simmer with rice in a rich, tomato-based broth. It’s a complete, comforting meal that cooks itself in the slow cooker.

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Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Jambalaya

Set & forget: The slow cooker does all the work while you go about your day.
Deep, complex flavor: Spices meld perfectly for a satisfying balance of heat and smoke.
Versatile & forgiving: Easily adjust proteins and spice level to suit your taste.
Fantastic leftovers: Flavors develop overnight, making next-day lunch even better.

Ingredients & Tools

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 oz andouille sausage, sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
2 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Tools: A 6-quart or larger slow cooker, a sharp knife, and a cutting board.

Notes: Don’t skip the “holy trinity” of onion, bell pepper, and celery—it’s the flavor foundation. And using a good-quality Cajun seasoning blend is key; it’s where a lot of the magic happens.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:	520 kcal
Protein:	38 g
Fat:	18 g
Carbs:	48 g
Fiber:	3 g

Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours (Low) or 2 hours (High) | Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes (on Low setting)

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

Chicken thighs are your friend here. They stay incredibly moist and tender through the long, slow cooking process, whereas chicken breast can easily dry out. Trust me on this one.
Don’t skip browning the sausage. A quick sear in a pan before it goes into the crockpot adds a ton of smoky, caramelized flavor and gives the sausage a much better texture. It’s a simple step that makes a huge difference.
What if my Cajun seasoning is super salty? Taste it first! If it’s very salty, hold back on adding extra salt until the very end, after you’ve tasted the finished dish. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out.
Wait to add the shrimp! This is crucial. Shrimp cooks very quickly and will become tough and rubbery if it simmers for hours. You’ll add it in the last 20-30 minutes of cooking, just until they turn pink and opaque.

How to Make Crockpot Jambalaya

Step 1: Start by prepping all your ingredients. Dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery (this is your “holy trinity”), and mince the garlic. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and slice the andouille sausage into rounds. Having everything ready to go makes the process smooth and simple.

Step 2: For the best flavor, take a couple of minutes to brown the sausage. You can do this in a skillet over medium-high heat until the slices have a little color on each side. This isn’t strictly mandatory, but it unlocks deep, smoky notes that will infuse the entire dish. Once browned, transfer the sausage to your slow cooker.

Step 3: Now, it’s assembly time! To the slow cooker with the sausage, add the raw chicken pieces, the holy trinity veggies, and the minced garlic. Follow that with the uncooked rice, the can of diced tomatoes (with their juices), chicken broth, tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, oregano, thyme, cayenne, and the bay leaves. Give everything a really good stir to combine, making sure the tomato paste is fully dissolved and the rice is submerged in the liquid.

Step 4: Cover and cook! You have two options here. For the most tender results, cook on LOW for 3.5 to 4 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can cook on HIGH for 2 to 2.5 hours. You’ll know it’s time for the next step when the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.

Step 5: This is the shrimp step! About 20-30 minutes before the cooking time is up, stir in the raw, peeled shrimp. They just need to cook through, which will only take this short amount of time. Replace the lid and let them cook until they are pink, firm, and opaque. This prevents them from becoming tough.

Step 6: The final touches. Once the shrimp are cooked, remove and discard the bay leaves. Give the jambalaya a taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. The flavors will be bold and aromatic. Stir in most of the fresh parsley, saving a little for a bright garnish on top when you serve.

Storage & Freshness Guide

Fridge: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze without shrimp for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
Reviving: Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water to loosen.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

A simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette — The crisp, acidic greens provide a refreshing contrast to the rich, spicy, and smoky notes of the jambalaya, cleansing the palate between bites.
Buttery cornbread or crusty French bread — Essential for sopping up every last bit of the delicious sauce left in your bowl. It’s a textural dream and frankly, a non-negotiable side for many.
Sautéed okra with a splash of vinegar — A classic Southern side that adds a lovely vegetal component and a touch of acidity, which balances the heartiness of the main dish perfectly.

Drinks

A crisp, hoppy IPA — The bitterness of the beer stands up beautifully to the spice and smokiness, while its carbonation helps cut through the richness.
A classic Hurricane cocktail — For the full New Orleans experience, this sweet and potent rum-based drink is a fun and festive pairing that complements the Cajun flavors.
Iced sweet tea with lemon — The ultimate Southern refresher, its sweetness is a lovely counterpoint to the heat, making it a family-friendly and utterly satisfying choice.

Something Sweet

Warm bread pudding with a whiskey sauce — A decadent, custardy dessert that continues the Creole theme and feels incredibly indulgent after a savory, spicy meal.
Classic beignets dusted with powdered sugar — Light, airy, and impossibly delicious, these fried dough pillows are a iconic way to end your Mardi Gras-inspired feast.
A scoop of creamy vanilla bean ice cream — Sometimes simple is best. The cool, creamy sweetness is the perfect foil for the lingering heat from the jambalaya.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake: Overcooking the shrimp. Adding them at the beginning will result in tiny, tough, rubbery pucks. I’ve messed this up before, and it’s a real shame. Always add them at the very end.
Mistake: Using instant or minute rice. These types of rice will turn to complete mush with long, slow cooking. You need a sturdy long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati that can hold its texture.
Mistake: Lifting the lid too often. Every time you peek, you let out a significant amount of heat and steam, which can drastically increase the cooking time. Trust the process and keep it closed.
Mistake: Not tasting and adjusting seasoning at the end. Spices can mellow during cooking. Always do a final taste test and adjust the salt, pepper, or even a pinch more cayenne before serving to make the flavors pop.

Expert Tips

Tip: For a deeper flavor base, sauté your “holy trinity” (onions, peppers, celery) in the sausage drippings for 5-7 minutes until softened before adding them to the crockpot. It adds a wonderful caramelized sweetness.
Tip: If you find your jambalaya is a bit too soupy at the end, remove the lid for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. This will allow some of the excess liquid to evaporate and thicken the sauce.
Tip: To make this ahead, you can prep all the chopped vegetables and measure out the spices the night before. Store them in containers in the fridge, so in the morning, you can just dump everything in and go.
Tip: For a extra kick, serve with a bottle of hot sauce (like Crystal or Tabasco) on the table so everyone can customize their own bowl to their preferred heat level.

FAQs

Can I make this Crockpot Jambalaya with chicken breast instead of thighs?
You can, but I really don’t recommend it. Chicken thighs have more fat, which means they stay juicy and tender through the long, slow cooking process. Chicken breast is very lean and is almost guaranteed to become dry and stringy. If you must use breast, reduce the cook time significantly and add it later, but for the best results, thighs are the way to go.

My jambalaya turned out a bit mushy. What happened?
This usually happens for one of two reasons. First, you might have used a type of rice that’s not suited for slow cooking, like instant rice. Second, you may have cooked it for too long. All slow cookers run at slightly different temperatures, so yours might be a bit hotter. Next time, check for doneness about 30 minutes before the recipe suggests. The rice should be tender but still have a slight bite.

Can I freeze leftover jambalaya?
Yes, but with a small caveat. The shrimp can become a little rubbery upon thawing and reheating. For best results, freeze the jambalaya without the shrimp. It freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge, reheat it on the stove, and then stir in freshly cooked shrimp at the very end.

Is there a way to make this spicier?
Absolutely! The beauty of jambalaya is its adaptability. To turn up the heat, you can: increase the cayenne pepper, use a hot andouille sausage instead of a mild one, add a diced jalapeño (seeds and all) with the other veggies, or simply serve it with a very hot hot sauce on the side for people to add themselves.

What can I use if I don’t have andouille sausage?
Andouille provides a specific smoky, spicy flavor, but other smoked sausages like kielbasa or chorizo will work in a pinch. The flavor profile will be a little different—kielbasa is milder, chorizo is spicier and can be greasier—but it will still be delicious. Just brown whatever sausage you use well to render out some of the fat.