Ingredients

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2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cut into chunks)
1 pound andouille sausage links (sliced into rounds)
1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
2 stalks celery (thinly sliced)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 pound raw shrimp (13-15 count, peeled and deveined)

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Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients

Before you start cooking, it’s essential to gather and prep all your ingredients. This will help you stay organized and ensure everything is ready to go when you need it.

Chicken: Cut your boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks.
Sausage: Slice the andouille sausage into rounds. This adds a wonderful texture and flavor to your jambalaya.
Vegetables: Chop the onion, red bell pepper, and celery into bite-sized pieces. These vegetables will form the base of your jambalaya and give it that hearty, satisfying texture.
Shrimp: If you’re using shrimp, be sure to peel and devein them if not pre-prepared. You’ll add these to the slow cooker later in the cooking process to prevent them from becoming overcooked.

Step 2: Load the Slow Cooker

Once everything is prepped, it’s time to load the slow cooker:

Add the chicken: Place the chicken chunks into the slow cooker first. This ensures that the chicken will cook through evenly and absorb all the flavors from the spices.
Add the sausage: Next, layer the sliced sausage on top of the chicken.
Add the vegetables: Dump the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery into the slow cooker.
Add the spices and liquids: Pour in the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, oregano, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and tomato paste. Stir everything to combine well, making sure the chicken and sausage are coated with the seasoning.

Step 3: Slow Cook

Once everything is in the slow cooker, set it to low for 7-8 hours. If you’re short on time, you can set it to high for 3-4 hours instead. Slow cooking is a great method because it allows all the flavors to meld together, making the dish richer and more flavorful over time.

Step 4: Add Rice

About an hour before the cooking time is up, add in your uncooked rice. Stir everything again to make sure the rice is evenly distributed throughout the mixture. The rice will soak up the flavorful broth as it cooks, becoming tender and perfectly seasoned.

Step 5: Add Shrimp

In the final 15 minutes of cooking, toss in the shrimp. Stir them into the mixture, making sure they are submerged in the broth. Since shrimp cook very quickly, they only need a short time in the slow cooker, and this ensures they don’t overcook and become tough.

Notes

How to Tell If Chicken is Cooked: Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) to be fully cooked. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can cut a piece of chicken to check that it’s no longer pink in the center.
Avoid Overcooking Shrimp: Shrimp cook very quickly, so it’s important to add them toward the end of the cooking time. Overcooked shrimp can turn rubbery and tough, so just a quick 15 minutes in the slow cooker is enough.
Rice Consistency: If the rice absorbs too much liquid and becomes too dry, simply add a little more chicken broth toward the end of cooking to rehydrate it.
Adjusting Seasonings: If you prefer a milder dish, you can reduce the amount of Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper. On the other hand, if you like it spicier, feel free to add more!
How to Avoid Burnt Rice: If you find that the rice is burning or sticking to the bottom of the slow cooker, try stirring it once or twice during the cooking process. Some slow cookers can cook unevenly, so checking on it helps.

Author: Rosa
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours