Looks Delic
On an afternoon when I knew we would be go, go, go, from school pick up until it was time to sit down to dinner I decided I needed a crockpot meal. This crockpot jambalaya with chicken and sausage was the perfect one dish dinner that was waiting for us when we walked in the door.
Crockpot jambalaya is bone-in chicken, sweet Italian sausage, veggies, and rice all slow cooked for 4 hours. The flavors came together so nicely and were incredibly satisfying. Not only was dinner ready when we wanted it but the cleanup from the prep was all done from the morning too. Win win!
About The Ingredients
Chicken – 1 1/2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. You could also use drumsticks.
Sausage – 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
Onion and Green Bell Pepper – 1 sweet onion and 1 green pepper with the seeds and stem removed. Dice them and set them aside together.
Garlic – 3 teaspoons of minced garlic. This is the equivalent of 3 cloves of fresh chopped garlic.
White wine – 1/2 cup of a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio.
Diced tomatoes – one can of diced tomatoes.
Chicken Stock – 4 cups, which is equal to one carton of stock.
Red Wine Vinegar – 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar. If you don’t have this on hand you can substitute balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar too.
Seasonings – dried oregano, salt and pepper
Brown Rice – 2 cups of brown rice. If you want to use white rice that is good too. White rice absorbs liquid faster than brown rice so you can adjust the cooking time down by 30 minutes.
Frozen Peas – 2 cups of frozen peas defrosted.
Substitutions & Variations
Jambalaya typically includes seafood. Seafood cooks very quickly and therefore doesn’t lend itself to slow cooking well. If you would like to add seafood to your crockpot jambalaya try tail on shrimp. Add the shrimp to the slow cooker when you add the peas at the very end. Put the cover back on the slow cooker and let cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.
Like things spicy? Jambalaya takes a little heat really well. Try using spicy sausage instead of sweet Italian sausage. Alternatively, you could also add cayenne pepper or ancho chili powder to your seasonings.
How To Make Crock Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
If you have a crockpot with an insert that has a metal or cast iron bottom you can assemble this entire meal in one dish. If your insert is ceramic, prep the meat and veggies in a large skillet and then transfer everything to the crock pot when you’re ready to add the liquids and rice.
Begin by seasoning and searing your chicken thighs until the skin is brown and crispy on both sides. Remove the chicken to a plate and then sauté the vegetables and sausage until the vegetables are soft and the sausage is browned. Season everything with salt, pepper and oregano and then deglaze your pan with some white wine, scraping any brown bits from the pan.
If you’re working in a skillet, transfer the skillet contents to your crock pot insert. If you’re working in your insert, remove the insert from the stove and place it back inside the cooker.
Now add your liquid ingredients and rice. Finally, nestle the chicken thighs back into the pot. Cover and set to cook on low for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, remove the lid and stir in the peas. Let them heat through and your chicken and sausage jambalaya is ready to serve. Top with chopped scallions and parsley and some lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
FAQ’s & Recipe Tips
The rice should be tender when it’s done cooking. If the rice is still a little crunchy, stir in more water 2 tablespoons at a time and continue cooking until tender.
Jambalaya is a one dish meal so it doesn’t need any sides. If you want to serve a little extra something I suggest corn bread or cheddar biscuits.
The Recipe for Crock Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing. If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought and if you preferred it as is or added some heat. Enjoy!
Crockpot Jambalaya with Chicken and Sausage
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker / Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 lb sweet sausage
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper stem removed, seeded, and diced
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 1½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ cup white wine
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 cups brown rice
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 2 scallions for serving
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley for serving
- 1 lemon for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the insert of the crockpot set over high heat on the stove. (*See notes below if your insert is not safe for the stove top.) Pat the chicken thighs dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken until the skin is brown and crispy, about 5 minutes on each side.1 ½ lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- While the chicken is cooking, dice the onion and pepper, and slice the sausage into bite size pieces.1 sweet onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 lb sweet sausage
- Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the onion, pepper and sausage to the pot. Cook until the veggies are soft and the sausage is brown, about 5 minutes.3 tsp minced garlic
- Add the garlic to the pot and continue cooking for 1 minute. Season everything with oregano, salt and pepper.1½ tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
- Pour in the wine and using a wooden spoon, scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.½ cup white wine
- Transfer the pot to the cooker. Add the tomatoes, stock, red wine vinegar and rice. Then nestle the chicken back into the pot. Cover and set crockpot to cook 4 hours on low.14.5 oz diced tomatoes, 4 cups chicken stock, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, 2 cups brown rice
- Remove the cover and stir in the thawed peas. Heat all the way through, another 5 minutes, and transfer everything to a serving platter. Top with chopped scallions, chopped parsley and lemon wedges for serving.2 cups frozen peas, 2 scallions, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 lemon
Notes
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