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Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Hearty and packed with spicy deliciousness, this Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya are perfect for chilly days or to celebrate Mardi Gras. This dish will warm you right up with its Cajun-inspired flavors that infused this one-pot meal with savoriness.

If you love the spicy flavors of this Louisiana favorite, you’ll want to make this easy meal in your crock pot. It’s a meat, vegetable, and rice dish that benefits from slow cooking time so all those spices and flavors can be absorbed into every ingredient. All you need to do is slice the meat, dice the veggies and add the seasonings and your slow cooker will do the rest!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients Needed:

Chicken – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts. Cut and cube them.

Cajun Sausage – Cut and slice it into 1/2-inch pieces.

Veggies – Onion, green bell pepper, and celery, all diced

Chicken Broth – For flavor and to cook the ingredients in.

Diced Tomatoes – I used canned, in their juices.

Seasonings And Spices – Cajun seasoning blend, dried oregano, dried basil. bay leaves, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper

Cooked Rice – I use white.

Green Onions – Optional. Sliced, for a garnish.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

How To Make Slow-Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya:

STEP 1: Add all of the ingredients, except the rice, to the slow cooker. Give it a stir to combine and put the lid on.

STEP 2: Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

STEP 3: 30 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cooked rice. Place the lid back on and continue cooking for the remaining 30 minutes.

STEP 4: Serve, garnished with sliced green onions if desired.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

What’s The Difference Between Jambalaya And Gumbo?

While both of those dishes are classic New Orleans and Louisiana cuisine, they’re often considered to be the same thing. The major difference is that gumbo is more of a soup or stew that’s served over rice while jambalaya has the rice mixed in before serving, which allows it to absorb all the flavors.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Do I Need to Brown any of the Ingredients?

No, you don’t. You can just cut and dice them and add them directly into the slow cooker.

That said, there’s no harm in sautéing them if you just feel better about doing that, but you don’t need to. The slow cooker will take care of cooking them completely.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

What Type of Chicken Should I Use?

I typically use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can also use boneless chicken thighs.

What Type of Sausage Should I Use?

I use a good smoked sausage or Andouille sausage for the best flavor. What you choose will also depend on how spicy you want your jambalaya.

Can I Add Shrimp to this Jambalaya?

Absolutely! However, you’ll want to add cooked shrimp during the last 15 minutes or so of the cooking time. Shrimp doesn’t do well in a slow cooker for the entire cooking time since it already has a delicate texture.

I either sauté the shrimp and add them to the slow cooker at the end or use thawed pre-cooked shrimp and toss it in during the last 15 minutes to get some flavor on it and warm it up.

What Kind of Rice Should I Use?

I use white rice, but you can use brown, or even riced cauliflower if you’re watching your carb intake. Whatever you choose to use, make it ahead of time so it’s ready to stir in toward the end of cooking.

TIP: If you plan on having leftovers that you’ll be freezing, don’t add the rice at the end to the entire slow cooker full of jambalaya. I don’t freeze jambalaya with the rice in it because of texture issues when it thaws.

So, go ahead and remove and reserve what you’ll be freezing into another container before you add the rice to the slow cooker portion.

What To Serve With Jambalaya?

I consider this a meal in itself, but I do love to serve it with a side of bread. My easy cornbread is perfect for this meal, or my broccoli cheddar cornbread. My 3-ingredient sour cream biscuits are a great option, too.

If you’re making this to celebrate Mardi Gras, here are some delicious party foods to try: My king cake rum shake and my fun king cake donuts.

Storage:

Refrigerator: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove in a saucepan.

Freezer: Cooled leftovers (minus the rice) can be frozen in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating on the stove in a saucepan.

More Slow Cooker Meals:

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Slow Cooker White Bean and Chicken Enchilada Soup

Slow Cooker Cube Steak

Slow Cooker Chili Mac

Slow Cooker Kielbasa Soup

Slow Cooker Beefy Baked Beans

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Yield: 8 Servings

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes

Hearty and packed with spicy deliciousness, this Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya are perfect for chilly days or to celebrate Mardi Gras. This dish will warm you right up with its Cajun-inspired flavors that infused this one-pot meal with savoriness.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cooked chicken, cubed
  • 1 (12 ounce) package cajun sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 3 cups cooked white rice

Instructions

  1. Gather all of the ingredients. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
  2. Place all of the ingredients EXCEPT the cooked rice into the slow cooker. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
  3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
  4. About 30 minutes prior to serving, remove the bay leaves and stir in the rice. Re-cover and continue to cook for the remaining 30 minutes. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
  5. Serve garnished with sliced green onions, if desired. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 234Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 57mgSodium 631mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 17g

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This dish will warm you right up with its Cajun-inspired flavors that infused this one-pot meal with savoriness. via @Mooreorlesscook

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