How to make slow cooker jambalaya

Laura Martin

Contributing Writer

Growing up in the Midwest, I wasn’t exposed to a lot of Cajun food. But in my teens, on a trip to the Art Institute in Chicago, I discovered an excellent Cajun restaurant called Heaven on Seven, where I had my first hurricane, my first bowl of gumbo, and where I discovered a new favorite dish: jambalaya. Jambalaya had just enough in common with my mom’s casseroles to be comforting. It was rice based, with chinks of sausage and tomato sauce, but it was smoky and spicy, but things I never encountered in my Mom’s cooking. For years, every time I went to the city, I’d stop in for a bowl of this New Orleans-style comfort food.

My slow cooker version of this classic dish includes a flavorful mixture of vegetables, meat and seafood and my own customized blend of spices. If you prefer, you may substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning for the thyme, black pepper, paprika and cayenne.

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Slow Cooker Jambalaya

6-8

15 minutes

8 hours, 20 minutes

8 hours, 35 minutes

1 lb. (450 g) smoked sausage, sliced

1/2 lb. (225 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

4 ribs celery, diced

2 bell peppers (red and/or green), diced

1 bunch green onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon (.5 g) thyme

1 teaspoon (1 g) black pepper

1 tablespoon (2 g) paprika (preferably smoked)

1/4 teaspoon (.5 g) cayenne

1 bay leaf

28 oz. (800 g) can diced tomatoes

2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth

2 cups (400 g) long grain rice

1/2 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided

1/2 lb. (225 g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

hot sauce for serving

Place sausage and chicken in bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add vegetables and spices, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, rice, and 1/2 parsley and stir gently to combine.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove lid, stir and nestle shrimp into rice. Re-cover and cook an additional 20 minutes.

Serve garnished with remaining parsley and a few dashes of hot sauce, if using.

Pro Tip: If you want more spice, stir in 1 chopped fresh jalapeño with the first step.

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