Jambalaya, a tasty, slightly spicy white rice dish with chicken, vegetables and chorizo. This is an ideal one-pot meal to make and enjoy together! Jambalaya is derived from Spanish paella and is just as tasty.
Creole jambalaya
Jambalaya is a rice dish from the Creole and Cajun cuisine of Louisiana and is a derivative of Spanish paella. It originated when New Orleans, Louisiana, was part of the former New Spain. A quick history lesson on the origins of this fantastic dish and what makes it so special .
The main difference is that paella uses saffron. This was in very short supply in the Americas, so tomato was added. Also, both dishes can contain different types of meat and fish and, of course, jambalaya uses Cajun spices. It is a wonderfully spicy and easy dish to make.
Easy jambalaya recipe
This recipe is an easy and quick one for when you’re short on time, the traditional Cajun jambalaya uses more ingredients such as the holy trinity (celery, carrot, onion) and green onions.
My recipe is centered around the Cajun seasoning, chicken broth and some easy an delicious vegetables such as red bell pepper (interchangeable with green bell pepper, if you prefer), yellow onion, fresh and crushed tomatoes.
Spicy red jambalaya recipe
Aside from chicken, preferably boneless skinless chicken breasts, I also like to use chorizo, smoked sausage or any other seasoned pork sausage such as spicy andouille sausage. It adds a great flavor and texture to your cajun dish. This recipe for jambalaya with chicken is SO incredibly easy to make! A perfect hearty dish that is served within half an hour, who wouldn’t want that?
This is a great one-pot dish with the classic combination of chicken and rice. Some other favorites of mine in this category are this one pan chicken recipe or this recipe for Moroccan tagine.
Homemade Creole food
Start by frying the garlic and onion, then add the chorizo and chicken and finally the rice and Creole seasoning. You can use long or short grain rice, brown rice or even Spanish rice. Whatever you prefer, I chose long grain white rice, which is traditionally used in the Creole version.
Cover the pan and it will be ready in 15 minutes! Wonderfully nutritious, delicious and perfect for a busy weekday evening or when you want to treat your guests to a unique dish. You can always add more vegetables if you like. Want to spice things up? Add some extra green pepper, hot sauce, black pepper or even cayenne pepper to taste.
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper (diced)
- 2 tomatoes (diced)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 125 grams chorizo (or any other spiced sausage, chopped)
- 300 grams chicken (preferably skinless chest or thighs, diced)
- 2 teaspoons cajun or creole seasoning
- 400 grams diced tomatoes
- 500 ml stock (chicken or beef)
- 250 grams rice (preferably long grain)
- olive oil, salt and pepper (optional: extra cayenne pepper)
- fresh parsley (finely chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic for a while.
- Add the pepper and tomato and fry until the vegetables start to soften.
- Then add the chorizo sausage and chicken. Season with the cajun seasoning, salt and pepper and fry until cooked on medium heat. Add the diced tomatoes and the stock.
- Stir, bring to the boil and add the rice. Now cook with the lid on until tender, stirring occasionally. While doing so, keep an eye on whether the rice cooks nicely. If necessary, you can add some extra water or leave the lid off the pan a little longer to allow the liquid to evaporate.
- Taste whether the rice is done. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
Labels/ brands in this article can be due to a paid collab. Some links on this page can be affiliate links. Read more: disclaimer.
