Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers | Delicious Jambalaya Recipe (2024)

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Katerina

5 from 8 votes

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Chunky, delicious & easy Jambalaya recipe prepared withchicken, shrimp, andouille sausage, and brown rice, all baked inside tender bell peppers.

Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers | Delicious Jambalaya Recipe (2)

    WHAT IS JAMBALAYA?

    Jambalaya is a chunky, spicy, and incredibly flavorful stew prepared with chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage, and rice. It is a one pot meal that comes together in just about 1 hour, and it is absolutely amazing!

    Jambalaya is one of Creole cuisine’s most popular dishes and rightfully so. The flavors are very deep; it’s a little spicy, a lot more hearty, very chunky, and absolutely filling. Chock full of meats and veggies, Jambalaya is a classic one pot recipe that’s very easy to prepare and hard to resist.

    Certain ingredients are very important to use in this Creole dish; andouille sausage is a must because, the smoky flavor and blend of spices will result in that authentic taste. Also, shrimp. Can’t make a Jambalaya without seafood, right? And, we’ll need some chicken, too.

    Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers | Delicious Jambalaya Recipe (3)

    INGREDIENTS FOR JAMBALAYA STUFFED PEPPERS

    In trying to keep things on the lighter side, this time we’re going to use brown rice, and if you want to go a step further, you can also use cauliflower rice. Not so traditional, but rules were meant to be broken.

    One other rule we’re going to break is stuffing our Jambalaya into bell peppers. You won’t believe just how good this comes out. My husband just grabs one out of the baking dish and eats it right out of his hands. Like it’s a toast!

    Third rule to break is to use Old Bay Seasoning instead of making a cajun seasoning from scratch. Are we cool with all of that? I hope so!

    Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers | Delicious Jambalaya Recipe (4)

    JAMBALAYA STUFFED PEPPERS

    • To get started, you’ll want to grab 4 bell peppers and cut them in half.
    • Arrange the bell peppers in a large baking dish or baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
    • In the meantime, we’re going to heat up some oil in a dutch oven or a large pot; season our chicken pieces and cook for about 6 minutes, or until done. Set aside.
    • We’ll do the same with the andouille sausage.
    • Combine onions, garlic, and diced pepper in the dutch oven and cook for around 3 minutes, or until just tender.
    • Stir in the previously prepared chicken; add tomato paste and canned tomatoes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
    • Add a cup of brown rice and a cup of chicken broth. If using cauliflower rice, use 2 cups.
    • Stir in shrimp and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
    • Divide up the jambalaya mixture evenly among all the peppers.
    • Return peppers to the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
    • Remove from oven, garnish with green onions and parsley, then serve.

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH JAMBALAYA

    This recipe makes a lot of food; I suggest coming to the dinner table on EMPTY.Jambalaya is truly a one-pot meal filled to the rim with all the ingredients, so you really don’t need to serve anything more with it. A salad would be nice, though. My other half prefers a slice of Cornbread.

    HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS

    • Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    • I suggest not to freeze any leftovers because of the rice – it will turn into mush once reheated. If you’re planning on making Jambalaya in advance and freezing it, leave out the rice and cook it fresh when you’re ready to serve.

    Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers | Delicious Jambalaya Recipe (5)

    MORE ONE POT STEWS

    • Dublin Coddle
    • Beer Beef Stew
    • Slow Cooker Beef Stew
    • Stuffed Pepper Soup

    ENJOY!

    Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers | Delicious Jambalaya Recipe (6)

    Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers

    Katerina | Diethood

    Chunky, delicious & easy Jambalaya recipe prepared withchicken, shrimp, andouille sausage, and brown rice, all baked inside tender bell peppers.

    5 from 8 votes

    Rate this Recipe!

    Servings : 8 servings

    Prep Time 10 minutes mins

    Cook Time 45 minutes mins

    Resting Time 5 minutes mins

    Total Time 55 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    • 4 large bell peppers, any color, cut in half, lengthwise, seeds removed
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 6 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into coins
    • 1 yellow onion, diced
    • 1/2 cup diced celery
    • 1 small bell pepper, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes, undrained
    • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 cup uncooked instant brown rice, (you can also use 2 cups cauliflower rice)
    • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
    • green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
    • fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400F.

    • Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

    • Place prepared peppers inside baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

    In the meantime, prepare the Jambalaya.

    • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.

    • Season chicken with salt, pepper, and oregano; add to the pot and cook for 6 minutes, or until browned on all sides.

    • Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

    • Add remaining olive oil to the pot and stir in the andouille sausage; cook for 2 minutes, just until lightly browned.

    • Stir in onions, celery, and diced pepper; cook for 3 minutes.

    • Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 more minute.

    • Stir in tomato paste; stir until thoroughly incorporated.

    • Add crushed tomatoes and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

    • Stir in chicken broth and brown rice.

    • Add shrimp and old bay seasoning; give everything a good stir and let cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until rice is tender and shrimp is cooked through.

    • Remove from heat, and if there's any liquid left, let stand for 4 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.

    • Divide up the jambalaya mixture evenly among all the peppers.

    • Return peppers to the oven for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until sizzling and lightly browned on top.

    • Remove from oven, garnish with green onions and parsley; serve.

    Notes

    HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS

    • Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    • I suggest not to freeze any leftovers because of the rice – it will turn into mush once reheated. If you’re planning on making Jambalaya in advance and freezing it, leave out the rice and cook it fresh when you’re ready to serve.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 stuffed pepper | Calories: 328 kcal | Carbohydrates: 21 g | Protein: 31 g | Fat: 12 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 197 mg | Sodium: 818 mg | Potassium: 779 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 7 g | Vitamin A: 2865 IU | Vitamin C: 127.1 mg | Calcium: 134 mg | Iron: 4 mg

    Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

    Course: Dinner

    Cuisine: American/Southern, Creole, French, Spanish

    Keyword: brown rice, jambalaya, one pot recipes, sausages, seafood, stuffed peppers

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

    Categories:

    • Chicken Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • One Pot Meals
    • Seafood
    Jambalaya Stuffed Peppers | Delicious Jambalaya Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the best rice to use in jambalaya? ›

    One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

    What does jambalaya consist of? ›

    jambalaya, a savory dish, popularly associated with the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of meat (pork, chicken, or even rabbit), seafood (shrimp, crab, crawfish), or both (often including andouille either way) and cooked with vegetables, stock, rice, and various seasonings.

    How many cups of rice to water for jambalaya? ›

    Add 2 cups white rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is opaque and toast-y smelling, about 3 minutes. Add the liquid and meats. Pour in 2 1/2 cups water or chicken broth and bring to a boil.

    How can I thicken my jambalaya? ›

    Finally, you could crumble some saltines or Ritz crackers or hey, if you're serving jambalaya, you may have some cornbread handy, that would also work. It will thicken the consistency, but if you also added more liquid, that's a good thing.

    What is the secret to a good jambalaya? ›

    Black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and hot sauce are the backbone of a great jambalaya. You can also add in some tomato paste or tomato powder, which creates a little sweetness.

    Do you use cooked or uncooked rice for jambalaya? ›

    Add in the uncooked rice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, Cajun/Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf. Give everything a good stir. Cover and cook. Then cook for 25-30 minutes, being sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so (to prevent burning) until the rice is nearly tender.

    Should jambalaya have tomatoes? ›

    Two main categories of jambalaya exist: Creole (or red) jambalaya, which is associated with the city of New Orleans and contains tomato, and Cajun (or brown) jambalaya, which contains no tomato and is more common in other parts of Louisiana. The recipe I'm focusing on here is the former, with tomato.

    What kind of meat is used in jambalaya? ›

    The most common meat used in jambalaya is smoked pork sausage (such as andouille), which is often paired with chicken. It's not uncommon to encounter a jambalaya that includes diced ham (such as the heavily spiced and smoked Cajun tasso) or seafood (such as shrimp, crawfish or crabmeat).

    What are the two types of jambalaya? ›

    There are two main kinds of jambalaya, Creole and Cajun. The difference can be found in their ingredients, primarily tomatoes. Creole jambalaya is more favored in New Orleans and the surrounding suburbs, while Cajun jambalaya is more popular in the rural areas of Louisiana.

    Why is my rice still hard in my jambalaya? ›

    Maybe you didn't add enough liquid to begin with. Whatever the case, if your rice is looking dried out, or the texture is still hard or crunchy when all the liquid has been absorbed, add up to ½ cup water and return to a simmer with the lid on.

    Why is the rice in my jambalaya hard? ›

    If the heat is too high, the water evaporates before the rice has a chance to fully cook. If you don't add enough water, the rice ends up dry and crunchy.

    Is Zatarain's jambalaya good? ›

    A terrific meal, filling and budget friendly. This product is a staple in our home. We cook it with Cajun sausage, onion peppers a can of tomatoes & jalapenos.

    Can you overcook jambalaya? ›

    Problem: Complicated to make, jambalaya is usually overcooked and underseasoned. The dish is an unappealing mixture of rubbery shrimp, dry chicken, and gummy rice bound in a thin, watery tomato base. Goal: We wanted fluffy rice with perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken, shrimp, and sausage.

    Do you cover jambalaya when cooking? ›

    Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and stir the pot; then put the cover with the lid and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!

    Does jambalaya require a roux? ›

    Most jambalaya recipes don't call for thickeners like roux or okra, though some people use cornstarch as a thickener if the dish needs it.

    Is jambalaya jasmine or basmati rice? ›

    Either jasmine or basmati rice is perfect coz they're long-grain and don't get clumpy when cooked. If you want to use brown rice instead, make sure that you parboil it first since it takes longer to cook. You may swap Andouille sausage with kielbasa sausage, smoked beef sausage, or Chinese chorizo.

    Is jasmine rice OK for jambalaya? ›

    Ingredients. You basically add Chilau Sauce to the normal amount of water you would normally use to make your rice. I used Jasmine Rice which calls for 3 cups of water to 2 cups of dry rice.

    Is jambalaya long or short grain rice? ›

    Jambalaya is traditionally made with the long-grain rice grown in Louisiana – more glutinous short-grain varieties would turn to mush in the pan.

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