Creole Chicken Jambalaya is one of the most famous New Orleans recipes, a rice dish that is a popular dish all over the world. Because of the great flavor of the shrimp, chicken, and bacon that you mix with a spicy vegetable tomato mixture with Creole herbs and rice. This is one of the easiest one-pot meals with a lot of taste, which is also super easy to make (without packages and bags). Yes, this is a GREAT recipe.
Creole Classic Jambalaya
Jambalaya comes from the word Jambalaia which means mixed or stirred. It is a derivative of the Spanish Paella, and the main difference is that the saffron is replaced by tomatoes. Almost always then.
And did you know that there are two types of Jambalaya? The Creole version (this one) with a tomato sauce and the Cajun Jambalaya that omits the tomatoes and has a roux as a base. The first version is most often seen in New Orleans. The Cajun version can be found in Louisiana.
Difference Between Jambalaya and Gumbo
Now I love Creole cuisine and I already have a delicious Chicken and Sausage Gumbo on the site. Both the gumbo and the cajun jambalaya recipe are made with those delicious cajun seasoning and many ingredients match. And in terms of taste palette, you see a lot of similarities.
But what's the difference between the two cajun recipes? With Jambalaya the rice is processed in the pan and with a Gumbo, you serve the rice separately. Okra is a vegetable that you will see in a Gumbo, but not in the Jambalaya.
What do you need for Shrimp Jambalaya?
You will need the following ingredients for the preparation of Chicken Jambalaya (the correct amounts can be found at the bottom of the blog in the recipe card):
- Chicken - Use boneless chicken, skinless chicken thighs, chicken breast, or chicken tenderloins
- Bacon - Bacon strips are the easiest. By frying in the pan, they become crispy and the fat is released. You can then flavor the sauce with the fat.
- Spices - Sweet paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, garlic, and paprika, give the Creole flavors to this dish.
- Rice - long grain rice, uncooked rice is preferred. Brown rice will not work. Basmati could be used in terms of preparation but does not fit with a traditional Jambalaya.
- Sausage - Andouille sausage is traditionally used in New Orleans, but it is almost impossible to come by outside America and you can also replace it with Chorizo or Kielbasa (smoked sausage) or chicken sausage.
- Shrimp - Raw or already cooked shrimp are fine. Take peeled shrimp (or peel them yourself) and make sure they are deveined.
How to make Creole Jambalaya
A recipe with extensive steps, the right amount of ingredients, and which you can also easily print can be found at the bottom of the blog.
- Frying vegetables - By frying the vegetables, they enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- Add meat - Add bacon, sausage, and chicken and fry. This gives the meat more taste
- Creole Sauce - Add the tomatoes and chicken broth to the pan.
- Season to taste - Mix the cajun spices through the sauce. This gives the typical taste to this dish
- Cook the rice - Shake the rice in the pan and stir well. As a result, all the flavors melt together and the rice cooks in the sauce until it absorbs all the flavors. When everything is well stirred, let the rice simmer (without stirring further). Stirring too much will make the rice sticky (because stirring releases starch). The trick is to stir enough at first so that the jambalaya doesn't stick, and then turn the heat down so that the jambalaya is simmering but not burning.
- Shrimp - When the rice is cooked, add the shrimp. If the shrimps are pink, you only need to warm them. Cook uncooked shrimp with the lid on the pan until they turn pink. Do not add them before the rice is done, because if shrimp cook too long they will become tough. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve!
Serve with
Although you can serve Jambalaya without side dishes, in New Orleans you often see the following dishes served with it:
- Corn Muffins - These are eaten in large quantities in New Orleans (and almost everywhere). Corn muffins are the side dish to serve at Jambalaya!
- Corn cobs - Jambalaya is also often served with roasted corn on the cob.
- Green salad - A green salad is always a good choice.
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Creole Chicken Jambalaya
Equipment
- Dutch oven Large Skillet or Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil olive oil or sunflower oil
2 stalks celery in strips
4 onions finely chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 oz. bacon bits
⅔ pound chicken breast or chicken tenderloins, in 1-inch (1.5-cm) cubes
8 oz. sausage chorizo or smoked sausage, cut into cubes
14 oz. sieved tomatoes
1 ¾ cup chicken stock with salt (otherwise add ½ teaspoon salt extra)- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme dry
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ground
¼ teaspoon salt- 1 cup white rice
2 bay leaves- 8 oz. large shrimps peeled and intestinal tract removed
Garnish
Spring onions finely chopped
Fresh Parsley optional
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the onion, celery, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook for 3 minutes while stirring.2 tablespoons oil, 2 stalks celery, 4 onions, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add the bacon, chicken, and sausage. Bake for 5 minutes until the chicken is golden brown. Stir every now and then. Now turn the fire down to medium.4 oz. bacon bits, ⅔ pound chicken breast, 8 oz. sausage
- Pour the sieved tomatoes and stock into the pan. With a wooden spoon scrape the brown bits off the bottom.14 oz. sieved tomatoes, 1 ¾ cup chicken stock
- Also add the creole seasoning: sweet paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt and mix well. Bring to boil.2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ground, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Shake the rice in the pan and mix everything so that it is well blended. Stir well so that the sauce and rice are well mixed. Place the bay leaves on top of the rice. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a minimum (use a simmering plate if necessary). Put the lid on the pan and let it simmer for 15 minutes.1 cup white rice, 2 bay leaves
- Place the shrimp in the pan and put the lid back on. Now let it simmer for another 5 minutes.8 oz. large shrimps
- Remove the bay leaf, stir well and garnish with spring onions.Spring onions, Fresh Parsley
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Corn Muffins - These are eaten in large quantities in New Orleans (and almost everywhere). Corn muffins are the side dish to serve at Jambalaya!
- Roasted Corn - Jambalaya is also often served with roasted corn on the cob.
- Refrigerator - The jambalaya will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Frozen - Store the Jambalaya in a freezer box or bag. This keeps it good for up to a month. Let the Jambalaya thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheating - Place the Jambalaya in a frying pan and stir on medium heat fry until hot. You can also put it in an oven dish and heat it covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes at 320 °F (160 °C) conventional oven.
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