The goal of a slow cooker meal is to save time, which is why I don’t understand a lot of these recipes that require 30 minutes of prep work. Brown the meat, chop the veggies, reduce the broth.
I need recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, like Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya.
Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya is loaded with chicken, veggies, rice and zesty Creole seasoning. Only 10 minutes to prep!
Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya does have a little bit of chopping, but I timed myself and was able to get all the chopping done and everything into the crock pot in just 10 minutes. That meets my benchmark for a good slow cooker recipe.
Make sure to PIN Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya!
While the ingredient list looks a little long, have no fear. Most are just dry herbs and go by fast. I would bet you that you already have most of these ingredients in your pantry right now!
I really like veggies and I try to hide them in all sorts of places. One of which is kale. I know this superfood gets a bad rap and I get it.
It is kind cardboard-y (yes, I made that word up) and virtually has no flavor, but add it to a dish like Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya or Slow Cooker Ragu.
Okra is another under used vegetable. Popular in the south, okra can get slimy with a weird texture when overcooked, but adding it precut, chopped and frozen
Save even more time by putting all of the ingredients into the slow cooker pot the night before and then put into the fridge. Just pop the pot into the heating element in the morning and be on your way!
This Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya recipe took me a few tries before I got to a version that I really, really liked. I used chicken sausage, but turkey or pork sausage can be substituted.
Questions you might have about this quick jambalaya recipe:
Do you cook rice before adding to jambalaya? For most recipes, no. You cook the rice with the rest of the ingredients so they absorbs the flavors. I suppose you could throw all the ingredients together separately, but it would lack cohesiveness.
What is usually in jambalaya? The creole versions always include the holy trinity- celery, onion and bell peppers, followed by rice and usually chicken and/or andouille sausage. Seafood jambalaya is a spin-off, but now commonly accepted as original as well.
What do I serve with jambalaya? I like to make a nice leafy green salad, but traditionally it is served with cornbread and collard greens.
My jambalaya is soupy, how do I thicken it? Many of the ingredients, primarily the vegetables, in jalamaboa are heavily made of up water. When that after release, it is impossible to gauge exactly how much they will release and how much dry rice needs to be added to absorb it.
If your jambalaya is too thin, you’ll need to add a small amount of cornstarch or arrowroot. If you have enough liquid that you can ladle out 1/4 cup, do so and and then whisk with 1 tablespoon thickener. Mix back into the jambalaya.
You can also use tomato juice, water or chicken broth as the liquid.
Love slow cooker recipes?
- Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
- Slow Cooker Garlic Dill Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork and Pineapple Sliders
Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 3 links chicken sausage cut into discs
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 ribs celery chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper chopped, can be one color or assorted
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 cups uncooked white rice
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes un-drained
- 1/2 cup kale leaves packed and ripped into 2 inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen okra
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce optional
Instructions
- In slow cooker, add chicken through canned tomatoes. Give it a quick stir, cover and then set to 8 hours on high or 4 hours on low.
- Thirty minutes before serving, add kale, frozen okra and hot sauce, if desired. Stir and allow to finish cooking.
- Remove bay leaves and serve immediately. Enjoy your Slow Cooker Chicken Jambalaya!
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
I’m sure this normally taste great in a crockpot. However, rice was mush. Went ahead and made recipe before reading other comments and a little google search told me not to use rice in a crockpot… skip rice and chicken broth for crockpot.. make rice separate
Hi Leslie, I’ll recipe test this again, but we’ve never had any issues. Did you use instant rice instead of regular cooking rice?
This tasted good, seasonings were spot on, but it was mushy! Next time I will do rice separately.
Hi Cheryl,
Did you use original rice? (As opposed to instant?). Just checking 🙂
Jessica
I made the jambalaya minus the okra and kale and loved the flavor. Only problem the rice turned into mush. Cooked about 6 hours on low. Maybe my crockpot temp runs hot!
Hi Karen, thank you for dropping me a note. I’m so sorry your rice was mushy. There are a couple of different variables with rice. Temperture is certainly an issue AND the amount of water your vegetables had in them is another. Adding just a little more (which I tend to do because I like things veggi-licous) can also create more liquid since in a crock pot the moisture can’t escape, it results in mushy rice. Try cooking it for a little less and adding another tablespoons of rice next time and you should be good to go.
What kind of rice did you use? Was it instant?
Kylene- regular old rice! Not instant.
You know, this would be great at a Super Bowl party! Make it up, cooks while the game is on. Then, when guests are hungry they can come in and get some to nosh on. Great recipe!
I love jambalaya and in a slow cooker with minimal prep work and I’m in!! Love the addition of the okra and kale too…bumping up the nutritional factor!
I love jambalaya and can’t wait to try your recipe…especially because it’s made in the slow cooker!
Fantastic. And honestly, quite brilliant!
I haven’t had Jambalaya in years! Love your slow cooker recipe! Nettie
I’ve never made Jambalaya, but this recipe is going on my must try list! Looks so good!
This looks so delicious with those wonderful flavours. I never tried such a recipe before but now I will! Thank you!
This looks wonderful! I always love a good Jambalaya! Happy New Years!
I totally understand what you mean about prep time. I love that this recipe is so quick and easy. Happy New Year, my friend! I’ve enjoyed your recipes all year long. I’m envious of your photography skills. Always a gorgeous photo.
Sounds good! Does this all fill the slow cooker or could I double the recipe? I’d like to make a full pot of it!
slow cook 8 hours on high or 4 hours on slow heat? or the other way around. 8 hours low, 4 hours high heat?
Other way around! Lol. Where was my head. Thanks for picking that up!
What a great slow cooker recipe! I love jambalaya but never thought to try it in a slow cooker.
Great recipe, I love jambalaya. This one is right up my alley. I’m a slow cooker nut.
I love jambalaya, but its one of my husbands favorites too, so I can’t wait to surprise him with this!
I love a good slow cooker recipe and this is perfect for those busy days. Fantastic!
This slow cooker dish looks amazing! I love how simple it is to throw together!
I feel the same way about a slow cooker, gotta take advantage! This jambalaya sounds fantastic…and the photo has my cheeks-a-tingle with anticipation. I’m adding this to our menu for the week (and making it in my new slow cooker!).
I despise slow cooker recipes where I have to do all kinds of prep first! Defeats the purpose, right? I love this dinner idea! Easy…just as slow cooker recipes should be 🙂
I could eat jambalaya by the gallon, it is so fantastic! I love your slow cooker version.
I do enjoy a good jambalaya! And one made in the slow cooker…even better!
This sounds like the perfect meal for this time of year…comforting, without a lot of prep work.
This looks amazing! I love Jambalaya!
Love, love love. Your slow cooker take on this Jambalaya is wonderful and this brings back such good memories of when I lived in the south.
Love time saving recipes and your chicken jambalaya sounds perfect. It is packed full with everything I love.
Anything in a slow cooker is totally up my alleyway this year!
Love the addition of kale! And jambalaya always takes me back to culinary school where I made my first kind that I truly loved!
I love fabulous recipes that can be made in the crock pot! !