Are you looking for easy slow cooker jambalaya recipes?
I've got two great jambalaya recipes one for chicken jambalaya and the other for shrimp jambalaya that both cook in your crock-pot (affiliate link).
You may be wondering what is jambalaya exactly?
Well, jambalaya is a classic creole rice dish that was originally made with ham. (Jamon is the Spanish word for ham.) These days you'll see all kinds of variations including sausage jambalaya, chicken jambalaya and shrimp jambalaya. It's one of those recipes that can be made the way you like it.
If you prefer, this is my favorite recipe for easy jambalaya made on the stove along with a healthy jambalaya.
These slow cooker jambalaya recipes are adapted from my favorite slow cooker cookbook, Fix-It And Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes, by Phyllis Pellman Good. With 1400 recipes, it's the first, last and only slow cooker cookbook you'll ever need.
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Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 to 6 hours in the slow cooker
Best Slow Cooker Size: 5-quart
Yield: 6 servings
I've made some adjustments to this easy slow cooker chicken jambalaya to suit our tastes. The original recipe called for adding the rice along with all the other ingredients, but I found cooking it this way resulted in a mushy dry dish, so I prefer to add the rice during the last hour of cooking. (If you prefer, you can cook the rice separately, and then add it to the slow cooker during the last 10 minutes of cooking, just so it has a little time to absorb some flavor without risking getting mushy.)
The recipe calls for 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed, but I prefer to use boneless, skinless thighs.
Ingredients
1 pound raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes (1-inch)
8 ounces Andouille sausage or smoked turkey sausage, diced
1 cup coarsely chopped onion (1 large)
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional
1 bay leaf
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups chicken broth
1-¼ cups rice, uncooked
Preparation
Stir everything except the rice together in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or on low 6 to 7 hours. Stir in the rice during the last hour of cooking. (Alternatively, cook the rice separately and then add it to the slow cooker during the last 10 minutes.)
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Easy Slow Cooker Shrimp Jambalaya Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2-¼ hours in the slow cooker
Best Slow Cooker Size: 5-quart
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 red or green bell peppers, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup chopped cooked ham
2 garlic cloves chopped
1-½ cups rice, uncooked
1-½ cups chicken broth
1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1-½ pounds peeled, deveined medium-sized shrimp
Preparation
One half hour before assembling the recipe, melt the butter in the slow cooker set on High. Add the onions, pepper, celery, ham and garlic. Cook for 30 minutes. Add the rice. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes and seasonings. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Add the shrimp. Cook on High 30 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked and liquid is absorbed.
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More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Mexican Meatball Soup - a great easy soup recipe perfect for an easy dinner
Slow Cooker Chicken Marbella - a deliciously easy slow cooker chicken recipe that's full of flavor
Slow Cooker Garden Chili - an easy vegetarian chili you make in the crock pot
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HERE BE DRAGONS
Sounds deee-licious!
SusanMcN
Both times I made this, the rice wasn't cooked enough at the end of the last hour. I would recommend precooking and adding it at the very end instead.
Martha McKinnon
Thanks Susan!