Chicken, Andouille and Prawn Jambalaya
One‑pot Creole jambalaya with browned chicken, smoky andouille, juicy prawns and fluffy rice — full of spice and comfort.
This one‑pot jambalaya is all about layers of smoky, spicy comfort — browned chicken, crisped andouille and sweet prawns coaxed into rice-suffused tomato sauce. It’s showy enough for guests but easy enough for a midweek dinner.
Make this when you want bold Creole flavour without faff. Leave it alone while it simmers: the less you fuss, the better the texture.
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 250 g andouille sausage — or other smoked pork sausage
- 300 g raw king prawns, peeled, deveined
- 300 g long-grain rice, uncooked
- 750 ml chicken stock — hot
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — large, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper — deseeded and diced
- 1 green pepper — deseeded and diced
- 2 sticks celery sticks — finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves — finely chopped
- 400 g chopped tomatoes — 1 tin
- 30 ml tomato purée — approx. 2 tbsp
- 30 ml Cajun seasoning
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
- 15 g flatleaf parsley — chopped, to garnish
- 1 lemon — cut into wedges
- 15 g unsalted butter
Equipment
- large heavy-based pan with lid
- wooden spoon
- measuring jug
Instructions
Prepare the veg: finely chop the brown onion, dice the red and green peppers, slice the celery sticks, and finely chop the garlic cloves. Rinse the long-grain rice briefly under cold water until the water runs clear and drain.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper and roughly chop into 3 cm pieces; season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Heat half the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over a medium‑high hob. Add the chicken in a single layer and brown for 8 minutes, turning occasionally until golden. Work in batches if needed and transfer the browned chicken to a plate.
Add the remaining olive oil and the sliced andouille sausage to the pan and brown for 5 minutes until edges are crisp. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped brown onion, red pepper, green pepper and sliced celery to the pan and sweat for 6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, dried thyme and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw tomato tang.
Stir in the drained rice and pour over the hot chicken stock. Return the browned chicken and sausage to the pan. Bring to a vigorous simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes — do not stir frequently or the rice will go gluey.
Nestle the raw king prawns into the rice, dot with the unsalted butter and cover. Cook for 6 minutes on low until the prawns are pink and the rice is tender.
Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze over the lemon, scatter with chopped flatleaf parsley, then cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Uncover, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve hot, with extra lemon wedges if you like.
Tips
- Dry the chicken before browning — moist meat steams and won’t colour.
- Rinse the rice briefly to remove excess surface starch; it helps keep the grains separate.
- Brown ingredients in batches so the pan isn’t crowded; that initial caramelisation builds depth.
- If you can’t find andouille, use a smoked pork sausage or chorizo for similar smoky notes (see substitutions).
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 days; reheat gently on the hob with a splash of stock to loosen the rice.
Substitutions
andouille sausage → smoked pork sausage or cooking chorizo, same weight
Stays closechicken thighs, boneless, skinless → chicken breast, same weight (reduce browning time slightly to avoid drying)
Noticeably differentraw king prawns, peeled, deveined → frozen prawns, thawed and well drained, same weight
Stays closelong-grain rice, uncooked → basmati rice, uncooked, same weight (check absorbency; may need slightly less stock)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 880
- Calories
- 70 g
- Protein
- 63 g
- Carbs
- 39 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 1500 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — the dish itself is naturally gluten-free, but check the andouille sausage and Cajun seasoning for hidden wheat. Use labelled gluten-free sausage and stock.
Why did my rice turn mushy?
Over-stirring during the simmer or too much liquid will make the rice gluey. Keep heat low so it simmers gently and avoid stirring once the rice is in.
Can I cook this in the oven instead?
Yes. After bringing to a simmer, cover and bake at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 20–25 minutes, then add prawns and return for 6 minutes until cooked.
How do I make it spicier or milder?
Increase or reduce the Cajun seasoning and add a pinch of cayenne for extra heat. Remove seeds from the peppers to keep it milder.
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