The Best Jambalaya

The best jambalaya includes tender chicken, spicy sausage and a combination of perfectly steamed rice onions and celery. Here's another big plus, this recipe makes enough to feed a crowd.

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Ingredients

• Chicken breasts, about 3 pounds or shredded rotisserie chicken
• Ground sausage, Jimmy Dean Sage variety
• Beef Smoked Sausage, Hillshire Farm
• Celery
• Green onions
• Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice
• Long grain white rice
• Better than Bouillon, chicken
• Cavender's seasoning
• Cayenne pepper

Top Tips and FAQ

Time Saving Tip

The chicken cooks quickly in your large stockpot with celery. But, as an option, and as a (big!) timesaver, buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Remove the skin, dice the chicken meat and you are set.

Steam Before Serving

Probably the most important step in making the perfect pot of jambalaya, is allowing time for the ingredients to steam.

After everything has simmered for about 45 minutes, be sure to allow plenty of time with the heat turned off - at least 15 minutes.

This gives the flavors time to combine and the rice will be perfect.

The Inspiration

Recipes like this one with a connection to a special region are always best when they are shared by someone who lives there. I'm proud too say this recipe for the best jambalaya is from my sister-in-law's family and they have a long connection to Louisiana. I've enjoyed eating this jambalaya for years at family gatherings, and now I get to share it with you!

Southern Comfort Food

Everyone has a different take on this hearty, southern favorite. Some folks include shrimp, a unique mix of spices or various types of rice.

But whatever the combination, it is always a time-honored version of jambalaya and comfort food at it's best.

When someone shares their special family recipe it's quite a thrill. Many thanks to Jack and MeMe Owen for sharing their delicious recipe with the Crinkled Cookbook!

Other Dinner Favorites

Here are some other ideas for dinner, all of these recipes also call for chicken as one of the main ingredients.

• Skillet Chicken Tacos, the chicken is seasoned with familiar Mexican spices along with crunchy cabbage, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.  So good!
• Tamale Casserole, this tastes just like your favorite tamales, but ready to eat in much less time.
• Pot Pie, talk about comfort food. Whether you use chicken or turkey to make your pot pie, this recipe is a winner, winner chicken dinner!
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, a creamy and satisfying combination of squash, cheese and pasta.

Keep Me Posted

Be sure to give a star rating to the recipes you make from the Crinkled Cookbook. I always love hearing from you. Sharing is great too! Use the buttons after the recipe to text it with just one click or send it to family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook. Enjoy.

The Best Jambalaya

Recipes with a connection to a special region are always best when they are shared by someone who lives there. This jambalaya recipe is from my sister-in-law's family and they have a long connection to Louisiana.

4.98 from 35 votes

Print Rate Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 643kcal

Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 6 chicken breasts about 3 lbs or use one rotisserie chicken
• 8 cups water enough to cover the chicken
• 2 pounds ground sausage Jimmy Dean Sage
• 1, 12 ounce beef smoked sausage sliced and diced (Hillshire Farm, Beef Smoked Sausage)
• 8 stalks celery diced, about 3 ½ cups, but save the tops
• 2 bunches green onions diced - about 10 green onions or 2 cups
• 1, 6 ounce box Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Including the spice packet
• 2 ½ cups long grain white rice
• 6 ½ cups chicken broth I like Better than Bouillon, chicken
• Cavender's seasoning to taste, about 1 teaspoon to start
• Cayenne pepper to taste - about ½ teaspoon to start

Instructions

Cook and Dice Chicken

• Place chicken breasts, water and celery tops in a large stockpot with enough water to cover them all, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.

  Drain and dice the chicken, set aside.

Cook Sausage and Veggies

• In the same stockpot, cook the ground sausage, drain and set aside.

  With a little olive oil or butter, brown beef smoked sausage for a few minutes, add diced celery and diced green onions and cook until the veggies are slightly softened.

Combine All Ingredients, Simmer

• Add all the remaining ingredients into the stockpot.

  Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer covered over medium low heat for about 45 minutes.

  Remove from heat, still covered, allow to steam for about 15 minutes.

Serve

• Serves 10-12, or plan to enjoy plenty of leftovers for several days.

Leftovers

• For warming up leftovers, I like to place the jambalaya in a 13" x 9" glass baking dish, cover with foil and let it slowly heat up in a 325° oven for about 45 minutes.

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Notes

This delicious recipe was kindly shared by MeMe and Jack Owen, special contributors to the Crinkled Cookbook. Thank you MeMe and Jack! 

Nutrition

Calories: 643kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 44gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 1331mgPotassium: 878mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 123IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg

Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.

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