Jambalaya with Red Beans and Rice

A robust, flavor-packed Jambalaya featuring chicken, Andouille sausage, and shrimp, accompanied by slow-cooked red beans and rice for a classic, comforting Cajun feast.

• Prep: 50 min
• Cook: 2 hr 40 min
• Total: 3 hr 30 min
• Servings: 7
• Cuisine: Cajun
• Difficulty: Hard
• Cost: $8.49/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Dairy-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• comfort food
• rich
• spicy
• savory
• classic
• slow cooker

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1.5 pound chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1.5 pound Andouille sausage (sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds)
• 1.5 pound raw shrimp (large, peeled, deveined, tails on or off)
• 3 yellow onions (large, diced and large, finely chopped)
• 3 green bell peppers (large, diced and small, finely chopped)
• 5 celeries (diced and finely chopped)
• 12 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounce)
• 6 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
• 3 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 3 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 1.5 cup white rice (uncooked, long grain)
• 0.75 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 0.5 cup green onion (chopped)
• 1 pound small red bean (dried, soaked overnight or quick-soaked)
• 6 cup water
• 0.5 pound smoked ham hock
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Instructions

1. Begin by soaking the dried small red beans. For overnight soak: place beans in a large bowl, cover with water by 2 inches, and let sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. For quick soak: place beans in a pot, cover with water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain soaked beans and rinse.
2. For the Red Beans: In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped yellow onion, 1 finely chopped celery stalk, and 1 finely chopped green bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the drained small red beans, 1/2 pound smoked ham hock, 6 cups water, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2-2.5 hours, or until beans are very tender and creamy. Stir occasionally, adding more water if needed to keep beans submerged. If desired, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the gravy.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the Jambalaya: In a separate large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown 1 1/2 pounds chicken thigh pieces, in batches if necessary, until seared. Remove chicken and set aside.
5. Add 1 1/2 pounds sliced Andouille sausage to the same pot and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside with the chicken, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
6. Add 2 diced yellow onions, 2 diced green bell peppers, and 4 diced celery stalks (the 'holy trinity' for Jambalaya) to the pot. Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add 8 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
7. Stir in 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
8. Return the chicken and sausage to the pot. Add 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice. Stir well. Bring back to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until liquid is mostly absorbed and rice is tender. Do not stir frequently during this stage to prevent rice from getting gummy.
9. Remove the ham hock from the red beans. Shred any meat from the ham hock and return it to the beans. Taste and season the red beans with salt, black pepper, and hot sauce (if desired). Discard bay leaf.
10. Stir 1 1/2 pounds peeled raw shrimp into the Jambalaya. Cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. Remove bay leaves from Jambalaya. Fluff gently with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
11. Serve generous bowls of Jambalaya alongside the slow-cooked red beans and rice. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and chopped green onions (if using).

Notes

Soaking red beans beforehand dramatically reduces cooking time. The long simmer for red beans is key to their creamy texture and deep flavor. For Jambalaya, avoid lifting the lid too often during rice cooking to ensure fluffy, perfectly cooked grains.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 1139
• Protein: 85.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 99.4 g
• Fat: 39.7 g
• Fiber: 18.2 g
• Sodium: 2036 mg
• Saturated Fat: 11.8 g
• Sugar: 11.5 g
• Cholesterol: 471 mg