American
Cajun Jambalaya
Louisiana's great one-pot rice dish — andouille, chicken, shrimp and the Holy Trinity.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
Jambalaya is Louisiana's greatest gift to the canon of one-pot cooking, believed to descend from Spanish paella and adapted with local ingredients, French technique and African spice traditions.
There are two styles: Cajun (brown, no tomato, from the countryside) and Creole (red, with tomato, from New Orleans). This is the Cajun version — its color and depth come from properly browned meat and caramelized vegetables.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
Jambalaya
- 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 3½ cups chicken stock (hot)
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (Creole-style) or 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 green onions, sliced
Method
- 1
BROWN THE SAUSAGE: Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high with a drizzle of oil. Add andouille in a single layer and cook without moving until deeply browned, 3–4 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Remove and set aside.
- 2
BROWN THE CHICKEN: Season chicken with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Brown in batches on all sides, 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- 3
COOK THE HOLY TRINITY: Add onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat, scraping up browned bits, until softened and golden, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- 4
ADD RICE: Stir in rice to coat in the fat and vegetables. Cook 2 minutes, stirring, until slightly translucent — this toasting adds nutty depth.
- 5
BUILD THE JAMBALAYA: Return sausage and chicken to the pot. Add hot stock, tomatoes or tomato paste, remaining Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne and bay leaves. Stir and bring to a boil.
- 6
SIMMER: Reduce heat to low, cover tightly and cook 20–22 minutes without lifting the lid. The rice needs uninterrupted steam.
- 7
ADD SHRIMP: Nestle shrimp into the rice, just below the surface. Cover and cook 5–8 minutes more until the shrimp are pink and curled and the rice is fully cooked.
- 8
Remove bay leaves. Fluff gently. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with green onions and serve directly from the pot.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: The brown crust on the bottom of the pot — 'graton' in Cajun cooking — is one of the best parts. Scrape it up and distribute it when serving.
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