Chicken and chorizo jambalaya is my take on a comforting Cajun classic, smoked sausage and the spice & herb mix are the stars of this dish.
This recipe will go from your fridge to your table in a little under an hour, but it is very easy and cooks in one pot, so it is easy on the washing up too!
Cajun-Influenced Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
You can’t beat a one-pot rice dish to be the hero when you need a hearty bowl of comfort food.
Whether it is something like my tomato risotto, my Spanish influenced baked chicken and rice, a Levantine lamb kabsa or my Indian-influenced keema rice they just hit all the right notes.
My latest one-pot rice recipe is my interpretation of a dish from the Southern United states.
Jambalaya is a Cajun dish and much like many recipes from that part of the world, features influences from both African and French cuisine.
My version of jambalaya features chicken breast and smoked Spanish chorizo sausage, and it is gloriously simple to make.
You begin by getting the oils flowing from the sausage by frying it with the chicken. Up next is the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking, onion, green pepper and celery to get that softened and nice and sweet.
Then in with the rice and my take on Cajun seasoning. Finally tomatoes and chicken stock, and you leave it alone until dinner is served.
It really is that simple and it tastes fantastic!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mexican and Spanish chorizo the same?
No, they are very different sausages, this recipe has been developed with Spanish smoked chorizo in mind.
Can I use a different type of sausage?
As I have mentioned above, jambalaya traditionally uses andouille sausage, which is a smoked sausage of French origin.
It is tough to find in the UK but if you can get some, use it, it is fantastic. You could also use a Polish smoked sausage like Sokolow or Kielbasa.
What sort of rice should I use?
Traditionally jambalaya is made with plain long grain rice, I have tested this with both plain long rice and basmati rice and they both work fine.
Basmati rice is a little more “fragrant” and has a slightly different flavour, and it is the rice I prefer for this recipe.
Do I have to rinse the rice?
People tend to be torn on this question, washed rice results in a slightly fluffier dish and unwashed rice is a little more “starchy”.
I prefer to wash my rice, my wife prefers this recipe when the rice is unwashed. As a result, I don’t wash my rice, for this dish!
Can I use red pepper rather than green pepper?
Green pepper is part of the “holy trinity” of Cajun/Creole cuisine, but ain’t no one going to hunt you down if you do.
Replacing the green pepper with red pepper will make this recipe a little sweeter.
Is this spicy?
Not massively, but I do have a reasonable tolerance for chilli. If you are struggling you can omit the chilli flakes and scale back the cayenne pepper.
If you scale back the cayenne, replace what you remove with more paprika.
Serving Suggestions
I tend to serve my chicken and chorizo jambalaya as a simple one-pot dinner. It’s gloriously comforting and plenty filling enough to stand on its own.
If I were to serve it with anything I would add either a side salad or some bread… maybe even both.
When it comes to bread, then the one that makes the most sense is cornbread. The flavours are superb with the heavily spiced jambalaya and it is closely associated with the food of the Southern US states.
The sweetness of corn on the cob would also work really well with this recipe.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 25cm or 12″ frying pan with a lid.
- Stirring, slotted and serving spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
One-Pot Cajun Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya Recipe
My take on cajun Jambalaya combines chicken thighs and smoked Spanish chorizo sausage with rice and a glorious spice mix, it all cooks in one pot whilst it takes an hour to cook, it is very easy!
Ingredients
- 250g (9oz) Chicken Thighs (Skinless and Boneless)
- 100g (4oz) Smoked Chorizo Sausage
- 1 Small (75g) Onion
- 1 Large Stick (75g) Celery
- 1 Small Green Pepper
- 150g (¾ Cup) Long Grain Rice
- 200g (7oz) Tin of Crushed Tomatoes
- 375ml (1½ Cups) Chicken Stock
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ½ Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 3-4 Spring Onions (For Garnish)
For the Cajun Seasoning:
- 1 Tsp Sweet Paprika
- ½ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ½ Tsp Garlic Granules
- ½ Tsp Onion Granules
- ½ Tsp Dried Thyme
- ½ Tsp Dried Oregano
- ½ Tsp Ground Cumin
- ¾ Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
- ⅛ Tsp White Pepper
- ⅛ Tsp Dried Chilli Flakes
Instructions
- Trim and cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the chorizo sausage into rounds approximately 3-5mm (⅛-¼") thick.
- Peel the onion, cut it in half and chop it into a 5mm (¼") dice.
- Wash the celery and cut it into a dice the same size as the onion.
- Cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds and stem, then chop it into the same sized dice as the onion and celery.
- Thinly slice the spring onions.
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the Cajun seasoning.
- Heat a 25cm or 10" frying pan over a medium heat and when it is hot add the oil, followed by the chicken and chorizo, cook for 3-5 minutes or until the oils from the chorizo begin to leach from the sausage. Then remove with a slotted spoon leaving the oils in the pan.
- Return the pan to a medium heat, add the onion, celery and green pepper and sweat these down for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. You do not want to add any colour to the vegetables here, so if they begin to go golden, reduce the heat a little.
- Sprinkle over the rice and the Cajun seasoning and stir for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken stock, tinned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce, then add the bay leaf and return the chicken and sausage.
- Stir to combine, reduce the heat to low add a lid and cook gently until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid give the pan a stir after 12-13 minutes, this will take around 22-25 minutes in total. Remove from the heat, rest for 5 minutes then fluff up the rice, sprinkle with the spring onions and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 722Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 212mgSodium: 2554mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 6gSugar: 14gProtein: 52g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.