This Slow Cooker Jambalaya is a great way to make this New Orleans favorite with less effort! It’s loaded with shrimp, chicken, sausage, and Creole spices.
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Jambalaya is one of my favorite one pot style recipes. The combination of sausage, chicken and shrimp with Creole spices and rice is always a winner in my opinion. Preparing it in a slow cooker makes it even easier to prepare!
- Looking for a stovetop jambalaya? Please!
Jambalaya vs Gumbo
The basic ingredients of these two classic Creole dishes are almost identical. The main difference is that gumbo contains a roux, or some type of thickening agent, and is served either on its own, almost like a chili, or over a bed of rice.
Jambalaya is more like arroz con pollo in that rice and other ingredients are cooked together. This is actually difficult to pull off consistently in a slow cooker, so I recommend cooking the rice separately and then either serving the jambalaya over the rice or stirring the cooked rice into the finished jambalaya before serving. I personally prefer to serve it individually than rice!
But no fear! It can be done!
The Creole Spice: Make it or buy it?
I usually just buy my Creole condiments. I like Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, which is a classic and is available in most supermarkets nationwide. It’s not the same as Cajun spice, which is more of a blackening spice. I wouldn’t substitute Creole for Cajun!
If you wish, make your own Creole condimentyou can get a good result by stirring together:
- 2 tablespoons of peppers
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
Keep anything you don’t use for this recipe in a tightly sealed container.
Whatever you do, if your Creole seasoning already has salt in it, and most of them will, make sure to taste it while you go. You may not need additional salt during the cooking process. It’s much easier to add salt; it is much more difficult to take it out.
The Holy Trinity in Creole cuisine
Almost every classic Creole recipe begins with what is often referred to as the “Holy Trinity.” Onion, pepper and celery. This is a great start to so many recipes, and you better think I’m including it in this slow cooker version.
Take the time to dice your veggies to a similar size so they cook at the same speed and you don’t end up with large chunks.
How to prepare the shrimp
Purchase shelled shrimp and leave the shells on, but use kitchen scissors to snip the shells up the back. The shells add a lot of flavor to the dish and also help prevent the shrimp from overcooking and becoming rubbery during slow cooking, so we leave them on. But if you cut them open at the back now, they’ll be easier to peel at the table when you’re eating.
Cook this jambalaya in two stages
If you put all of the ingredients in this recipe in a slow cooker and hit go, you’ll be disappointed after 3 to 4 hours of cooking. The rice would be mushy and the shrimp would be rubbery. No thank you!
To prevent that, cook this jambalaya in two steps.
Stage one is for cooking the trinity, garlic, spices, tomato, chicken and sausage. At this stage you can cook for a long time. It will take at least 3 to 4 hours on high heat, but if you’re trying to have more space you can cook it on low heat for up to 6 hours.
Then it’s time to add the shrimp! Stir the shrimp into the jambalaya and cook an additional 30 to 45 minutes longer. Final cooking time may vary slightly depending on your exact slow cooker. However, it’s done when the shrimp are cooked through.
While the shrimp are cooking, place a pot of rice on the stove. When ready to serve, taste the jambalaya and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then either stir the rice into the jambalaya or serve scoops of jambalaya over the cooked rice.
Looking for more New Orleans favorites?
- Shrimp Gumbo with Andouille Sausage
- bread pudding
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Stove Jambalaya
- oyster stew
Slow Cooker Jambalaya
For ease of eating, either remove the shells from the shrimp before serving or instruct your guests to remove the shells themselves as they eat.
ingredients
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1 White Onionrolled
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3 ribs Celery, diced
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1 green bell pepperrolled
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3 cloves Garlic, diced
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1 lb smoked sausage, cut about 1/4 inch
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1 lb Boneless chicken breast and/or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
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1 (28–ounce) can diced tomatoes
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1 tablespoon dried oregano
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2 bay leaves
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1 to 2 tablespoon Creole spice (I like Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning)
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1 lb big shrimpShell open, thawed
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1 Cup long grain white rice
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1/2 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
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Fresh parsley, choppedPer garnish
method
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Slow cook sausages, chicken and vegetables:
In a large slow cooker, combine onion, celery, peppers, garlic, sausage, chicken, tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves, and Creole seasonings. Mix well.
Cook 3 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low. You can proceed to the next step when the vegetables are very tender and the chicken is cooked through and you can pull it apart easily.
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Add the shrimp and cook on high:
Leave the shells on the shrimp but use kitchen scissors to trim the backs; This will make them easier to peel later.
Place the shrimp in the slow cooker. Stir in, cover, and cook on high for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through.
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Cook rice:
While the shrimp are cooking, cook the rice either according to package directions or using this cooked rice method. When done, set the rice aside until ready to serve. (This makes about 4 cups of cooked rice.)
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Flavor and Spice:
Remove the bay leaves from the jambalaya and season to taste. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Either peel the shells off the shrimp now, or serve with the shells and instruct guests to remove the shells during the meal.
Stir the cooked rice into the jambalaya (as shown) or serve the jambalaya over the rice with a ladle.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, and then the shrimp will really start to break down. This dish does not freeze very well. The combination of rice, shrimp, and sauce is not easily reheated without the shrimp becoming very rubbery.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 369 | calories |
| 19g | Fat |
| 14g | carbohydrates |
| 34g | protein |
