Forgotten Jambalaya
During chilly months, I fix this jambalaya at least once a month. It’s so easy…just chop the vegetables, dump everything in the slow cooker and forget it! Even my sons, who are picky about spicy things, like this dish.
During chilly months, I fix this jambalaya at least once a month. It’s so easy…just chop the vegetables, dump everything in the slow cooker and forget it! Even my sons, who are picky about spicy things, like this dish.
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- hot cooked rice
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes undrained
- 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef or chicken broth
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 2 medium green peppers chopped
- 3 celery ribs chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 3 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound smoked sausage halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- Carbohydrate 19.9170147998343 g
- Cholesterol 80.4095565 mg
- Fat 12.741059017217 g
- Fiber 1.1694511442581 g
- Protein 20.6793941438115 g
- Saturated Fat 4.09683629326337 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (221g)
- Sodium 412.952538108039 mg
- Sugar 18.7475636555762 g
- Trans Fat 1.97919598011676 g
- Calories 283 calories
Step-by-step
- In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, broth and tomato paste.
- Stir in the green peppers, onion, celery, garlic and seasonings.
- Stir in chicken and sausage.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken is no longer pink.
- Stir in shrimp.
- Cover and cook 15-30 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink.
- Serve with rice
The ingredient list leaves out the foundational technique of the Louisiana delta, where cooks historically balanced whatever proteins were on hand into a single pot of rice. Traditional jambalaya traces its roots to French and Spanish settlement, merging paella-making traditions with local game and seafood. Early versions relied heavily on preservation meats like smoked sausage, adding fresh proteins only when available. Modern slow cookers alter this timeline by maintaining a constant sub-boiling heat that gently renders fat from the sausage without scorching the tomato base. Managing protein density is critical when adapting regional stews for unattended cooking appliances. Chicken breasts cut into uniform one-inch cubes require four to six hours at a low temperature setting to cook through safely without losing internal moisture. Adding delicate shellfish too early results in a rubbery texture, which is why shrimp must be introduced during the final fifteen to thirty minutes of cooking once they reach an opaque, pink visual stage. Home cooks frequently ruin slow-cooked gumbos and jambalayas by overloading the pot with starches before the meat renders its full flavor profile into the broth. Keep the rice separate until the very end to prevent the starches from absorbing too much liquid and turning the sauce into a heavy paste. Store leftover portions in an airtight container below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for up to four days.
