Jambalaya

Ah yes — Jambalaya! 🥘 A classic Louisiana dish packed with spicy sausage, chicken, shrimp, rice, and bold Cajun flavors. It’s comforting, hearty, and full of southern charm. Here’s a traditional-style recipe that hits all the right notes:

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🍤 Classic Cajun Jambalaya

Ingredients

(Serves 6–8)

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 lb (450 g) boneless chicken thighs, diced

• ½ lb (225 g) Andouille sausage or smoked sausage, sliced

• 1 lb (450 g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can (14.5 oz / 410 g) diced tomatoes

• 1 ½ cups (285 g) long-grain rice, uncooked

• 3 cups (720 ml) chicken broth

• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt & black pepper, to taste

• Chopped green onions and fresh parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Cook the meat

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add chicken and sausage, cooking until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

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2. Sauté the vegetables

1. In the same pot, add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté 5–7 minutes until softened.

2. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

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3. Add spices & rice

1. Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.

2. Add uncooked rice and stir to coat with the spices and veggies.

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4. Add liquids & simmer

1. Return chicken and sausage to the pot.

2. Add diced tomatoes (with juice) and chicken broth.

3. Stir to combine, then add bay leaves.

4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20–25 minutes, until rice is tender.

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5. Add shrimp

1. Stir in shrimp and cook 3–5 minutes until pink and opaque.

2. Remove bay leaves.

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6. Serve

• Garnish with chopped green onions and parsley.

• Serve hot with crusty bread or cornbread for a complete meal.

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💡 Tips

• For extra heat, add cayenne pepper or hot sauce.

• Swap chicken for andouille sausage only for a simpler, quicker jambalaya.

• Make it in one pot for easy cleanup — the flavors only get better as it sits.

• Leftovers reheat well and often taste even better the next day.

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I can also give you a Cajun-style slow cooker jambalaya version — perfect for hands-off cooking and deep flavor infusion. Do you want me to do that next?