Craving a taste of New Orleans? Try our one-pot sausage jambalaya, made with pork sausage, chicken, ham and a blend of flavorful seasonings.
Sausage Jambalaya
Updated on Feb. 17, 2025
Never attempted jambalaya at home? Mastering this Southern comfort food classic isn’t as tricky as it might seem, when you rely upon the convenience of a few pantry staples. Overflowing with home-cooked Cajun flavors, zesty canned tomatoes, succulent chicken, smoky sausage and tender ham, this one-pot wonder will satisfy all appetites—and leave you with leftovers as a next-day bonus.
Whether you’re hosting a lively Mardi Gras celebration, or preparing a family meal to feed a crowd, this Cajun-Creole jambalaya promises to transform your kitchen into a Louisiana hotspot. Also good to know: It can be tweaked and customized to fit whichever veggies and herbs you have on hand.
Ingredients for Sausage Jambalaya
- Meat: We used a trio of pork sausage, cubed cooked chicken and cubed cooked ham for this jambalaya, but you can switch things up depending on what you have on hand, pork- and poultry-wise.
- Peppers and onions: Although the traditional Holy Trinity in jambalaya and Cajun-Creole cooking employs celery, onions and bell peppers, we skipped the celery here. Feel free to add it if you wish!
- Garlic: We didn’t skip the garlic, however, which lends its bold aromatic notes to the base of this chicken and sausage jambalaya.
- Canned tomatoes: Cajun jambalaya doesn’t usually include tomatoes, but hey, we took some liberties with this recipe, and you can too. Diced, crushed or fire-roasted tomatoes all work, especially the latter, if you like your jambalaya with a kick. You’ll want to keep the juices from the can.
- Rice: Rice is the main grain in jambalaya. We opted for a cup of uncooked long grain rice, but you could also use wild rice, brown rice or high-protein, low-carb chickpea rice.
- Chicken broth: Broth comes in to infuse the dish with lots of deep flavors and create enough liquid to cook the rice.
- Herbs: A handful of minced fresh parsley and a few teaspoons of dried thyme also boost the flavor profile of this dish.
Directions
Step 1: Saute the sausage and veggies
In a heavy skillet, saute the sausage, onion, green pepper and garlic in oil over medium heat until the vegetables are fork-tender and fragrant.
Step 2: Add the meat
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the cubed chicken and cubed cooked ham to the same skillet, continuing to cook for five minutes, until the meat is heated.
Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients
Stir in the diced tomatoes, rice, chicken broth, parsley, salt, pepper and thyme.
Step 4: Bake the jambalaya
Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake it for one hour or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Sausage Jambalaya Variations
- Switch up the meat: Instead of small pork sausage links, opt for Andouille, smoked sausage or chorizo. Fresh out of chicken? How about duck or rabbit? Over ham? Shrimp is a classic jambalaya ingredient, although mussels would also be delicious.
- Add beans: Thick and creamy red beans and rice are a match made in culinary heaven with jambalaya.
- Amp up the seasonings: Add a few shakes of a Cajun seasoning blend for an even deeper flavor.
How to Store Sausage Jambalaya
This dish is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Luckily this recipe makes a lot and easily feeds eight. Leftovers should be guarded carefully—sealed in the fridge or covered in a casserole dish, not left uncovered, for fear of drying out.
How long does jambalaya last?
Sealed in containers in the refrigerator, it will last for three to four days, or up to six months in the freezer.
What’s the best way to reheat jambalaya?
Jambalaya can be reheated in many ways: Pop it in the microwave for a few minutes until warm, heat it in a saucepan on the stove (feel free to add a tablespoon of water to moisten things up) or reheat it in a casserole dish in the oven on low for 10 to 15 minutes.
Sausage Jambalaya Tips
Should jambalaya be wet or dry?
A Cajun-style jambalaya is on the drier side. However, since this version is filled with tomatoes and leans more Creole, it could be wetter.
What should I do if my jambalaya is watery?
If you prefer your jambalaya less moist, even with the stewed tomato chunks, extend your oven time. Some reviewers note that it took longer than an hour for the liquids to absorb. Depending on your oven, you may need to keep cooking for 30 more minutes before it thickens up.
What are the best jambalaya sides?
We love to pair jambalaya with a crunchy salad with green goddess dressing, as well as fried green tomatoes or okra, black-eyed peas, grilled corn on the cob and, of course, cornbread.
Sausage Jambalaya
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
1 hour
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
- 12 small pork sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped green pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1-1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions
- In heavy skillet, saute the sausage, onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until vegetables are tender. Add chicken and ham; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
Nutrition Facts
1 cup: 319 calories, 14g fat (4g saturated fat), 53mg cholesterol, 1292mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 20g protein.
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My family has enjoyed this delicious Cajun recipe for many years. You'll love it too. —Lizzie Whitten, Oak Grove, Louisiana
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