Like gumbo, jambalaya is a classic one-pot dish synonymous with the US state of Louisiana.
An American Creole and Cajun rice dish of French, African and Spanish influence, jambalaya is an all American classic, taking its name from the Provence region of France originally spelled ‘jambalalia’, with historical similarities to Provençal French styles of pilaf and Spanish paella. The dish is also regularly compared to Jollof rice, with sources linking jambalaya to West Africa due to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. At its heart, the dish is rice based, but also features a number of additional ingredients, with jambalaya typically split into two distinct styles: Creole and Cajun.
While Creole jambalaya (also known as ‘red jambalaya’) typically features a mixture of meat such as chicken and sausage, plus seafood and tomatoes, Cajun jambalaya – more characteristic of southwestern and south-central Louisiana – contains no tomatoes or seafood. Both are based with the ‘holy trinity’ of Louisiana cooking, however: a sofrito-like melange of diced onion, celery, and bell peppers.
This jambalaya recipe takes inspiration from both styles, featuring onions, celery and both green and red peppers alongside tomatoes, chicken, smoked sausage (such as andouille or kielbasa), prawns, short-grain rice and Cajun seasoning which lends plenty of depth to the dish.
Jambalaya cooking tips
In place of Cajun seasoning, you can use either Creole seasoning and omit the dried herbs, or combine 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder to make your own. Simply blend to a fine powder and store any leftovers in a sealed jar.
Some jambalaya recipes call for adding everything to the pot at once. While that will work, cooking the jambalaya in stages is recommended to build better flavours. Cooking in stages will also make the overall texture far better.
Jambalaya is best served hot, but is also delicious cold and will keep in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to three days.
Ingredients
- 300 g smoked sausage such as andouille or kielbasa, sliced into coins
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large onion roughly diced
- 2 sticks celery roughly diced
- 1 red bell pepper roughly diced
- 1 green bell pepper roughly diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or finely diced
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 280 g short-grain white rice
- 700 ml chicken stock
- 500 g raw prawns peeled and de-veined
- Salt
- Neutral cooking oil
- Spring onions sliced (to garnish)
Instructions
- Begin by preparing all of your ingredients and having them ready to add to the pan.
- Heat a splash of oil in a large, heavy based saucepan or Dutch oven and add the smoked sausage. Cook for a few minutes on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- When the sausage begins to colour, add the chicken pieces and continue to cook until the sausage and chicken pieces begin to brown. Don’t worry if they’re not entirely cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add another generous splash of oil and increase the heat to high. Heat the oil for a minute or two, then add the diced onion, celery and peppers. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften. Once soft and lightly caramelised, add the garlic, Cajun seasoning, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, black pepper and a generous pinch of salt to the pan. Cook for another minute or so, stirring often.
- Stir in the tomatoes, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, followed by the rice. Stir to combine, then slowly pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for around 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice has almost cooked and the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the prawns to the pan and stir. Recover the pan and continue to cook over low heat until the prawns are cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper if necessary, then serve in bowls topped with chopped spring onions.
Notes
Related: How To Make: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
