This crockpot jambalaya came about from a lot of experimenting over the years. Of all the ones we have tried, this is the version we like the best. Serve over cooked rice.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 3 hrs

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails

Directions

Mix tomatoes with juice, chicken, sausage, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and broth in a slow cooker. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.

Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.

Feedback from home

Cut back on the spice? I followed recipe except cut the cayenne pepper by a smidge. Served over white rice with garlic toast on the side.

Adding and freezing: I added a can of tomato sauce as well. Since we freeze 1/2 of it, I make rice to order because if you add it to the recipe, it turns mushy. Also, chicken thighs stay moist better than breasts and give it more flavor.

Just the rice: I added 3 cups of rice to the slow cooker during the last hour.

Pepper it up: I left out the cayenne pepper and used some black pepper to taste instead. I thought the Cajun seasoning and Andouille sausage would give the dish plenty of spice and I was correct for my wife’s sake. I noticed that there was a lot of liquid in the slow cooker after a couple of hours from the vegetables. I thickened it with a flour/water mixture toward the 6 hour mark before adding the shrimp.

Spice was a lot: This was great! I used uncooked shrimp. There was too much cayenne pepper for me. I used 1/2 tsp and when you add a Cajun seasoning mix it’s way too spicy. I love spicy but it’s too hot for some of my family members. Next time I’d use 1/4 tsp cayenne and add salt.

It was nice: As someone from Louisiana I can say this is non-traditional. Yes, it is soupy and even if you cook the rice in early it will come out more like a stew than what you’d get back home. However, the flavor is very good and I don’t mind the spice. (Tony Chachere’s is the only way to go for creole spice IMO) the next day after you refrigerate it, it is more like your traditional jambalaya too. I realize many get fussy over authenticity, and yes it isn’t authentic, but it’s a nice jambalaya that you don’t have to think too much about given the crockpot. Just sayin.

Monthly visits: I make this about once a month for my husband and he loves it! I’m Cajun and this is comparable to the jambalaya my grandmother made.

Movie Night: I made this for a movie night with friends and everyone loved it. I made a few adjustments with the seasonings, we like things on the spicier side, and I did mine on the stove instead of my slow cooker. Definitely would make it again!

Of Course Tabasco: I make this recipe every year! It is perfect! I cook the rice separately and add it just before serving it. I have Tabasco or other hot sauces available if guests want to kick up the heat! My entire family loves this! This recipe can be doubled easily!