Creole chicken sausage shrimp dish (Print View)

Vibrant Creole dish with chicken, sausage, shrimp, rice, and bold Cajun spices for a rich, hearty meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced
02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately 9 oz), cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 8 oz large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 medium onion, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juices
09 - 2 spring onions, sliced, for garnish
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

→ Rice & Liquids

11 - 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
12 - 3 cups chicken broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

13 - 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
17 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
18 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
19 - 2 bay leaves
20 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
21 - Hot sauce, optional, to serve

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage and cook until lightly browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
02 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Season chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Brown chicken on all sides for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside with the sausage.
03 - Add diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Sauté while stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
04 - Stir in rinsed rice, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 1 minute to toast spices evenly.
05 - Pour in diced tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, and add bay leaves. Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the pot bottom.
06 - Return sausage and chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
07 - Nestle shrimp into the rice mixture. Cover and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, until shrimp turn pink and rice is tender.
08 - Remove pot from heat. Discard bay leaves. Fluff the jambalaya with a fork.
09 - Sprinkle sliced spring onions and chopped parsley on top. Serve hot, with optional hot sauce on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying what you made.
  • The flavor builds as it simmers, so even simple ingredients become something complex and deeply satisfying.
  • It's forgiving enough for weeknight cooking but impressive enough to serve when friends show up hungry.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the proteins at the start; it's the difference between a one-note braise and a layered, complex dish.
  • Shrimp cook fast and turn tough if left in heat too long, so add them only in the final 5–7 minutes.
  • The rice will continue absorbing liquid as the pot sits, so it's okay if it looks slightly loose when you first remove it from heat.
03 -
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven; thin pots create hot spots that scorch the bottom layer of rice.
  • Don't lift the lid constantly while it simmers; each time you do, you release steam and lengthen the cooking time.
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