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A hearty bowl of Crockpot Jambalaya with shrimp, sausage, and rice.
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Crockpot Jambalaya

This easy Crockpot Jambalaya is the ultimate "set it and forget it" dinner! Packed with shrimp, sausage, chicken, and Cajun-spiced rice, it's a foolproof, flavor-packed meal the whole family will love.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Cajun, Creole
Keyword: cajun jambalaya, crockpot jambalaya, easy jambalaya recipe, set and forget meal, shrimp and sausage jambalaya, slow cooker jambalaya
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 380kcal
Author: Angela

Equipment

  • 6-Quart or Larger Slow Cooker
  • Large Skillet (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
  • 2 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (like Jasmine or Basmati)
  • 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • for serving chopped fresh parsley and hot sauce

Instructions

  • In a skillet, brown chicken and sausage. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Transfer to slow cooker.
  • To the slow cooker, add garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Cajun seasoning, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until chicken is tender.
  • About 1 hour before serving, stir in the rice. Add extra broth if dry. Recover and cook until rice is tender.
  • 15-20 minutes before serving, add shrimp, pushing into hot liquid. Cook until pink and opaque.
  • Discard bay leaves. Garnish with parsley and serve with hot sauce on the side.

Notes

Pro Tips: For the best flavor, take 10 minutes to brown the sausage and chicken and sauté the vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker. To prevent mushy rice, add the long-grain white rice only during the last hour of cooking. Add the raw shrimp during the last 15-20 minutes to prevent overcooking. If the mixture looks too dry when you add the rice, have an extra ½ cup of chicken broth ready to stir in. The spice level is easily customizable by adjusting the amount of Cajun seasoning and the type of peppers you use.