Dutch Oven Jambalaya (Creole Style)
This one-pot wonder is packed with bold Cajun flavor, hearty meats, tender rice, and a kick of spice in every bite. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just craving something cozy, this Dutch Oven Jambalaya brings the taste of Louisiana right to your kitchen with minimal fuss and maximum flavor.
As someone who loves a good one-pot meal, this recipe checks all the boxes: it’s simple, satisfying, and saves me from doing a mountain of dishes.
Loaded with smoky sausage, tender chicken, aromatic veggies, and just the right amount of spice. This Dutch Oven Jambalaya brings the bold flavors of Louisiana right to your kitchen — all in one pot.
Perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends when you want big flavor without the extra cleanup.
I’m a big fan of anything that lets me toss everything into one pot and still end up with a meal that feels thoughtful and homemade.
Whether it’s this hearty jambalaya, my creamy mushroom chicken and rice that practically cooks itself, or a cozy bowl of kale and white bean soup simmering on the stove, one-pot meals are my saving grace on busy nights.
They’re simple, satisfying, and best of all—there’s hardly any cleanup!
What Is Jambalaya?
Jambalaya is a classic Louisiana one-pot dish made with rice, meat, vegetables, and bold seasonings. It’s rooted in both Creole and Cajun traditions, with influences from Spanish, French, and West African cuisines.
At its core, jambalaya usually includes the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking—onion, bell pepper, and celery—along with garlic, spices, and protein like chicken, sausage, or seafood. Everything cooks together in one pot, so the rice soaks up all the flavor from the broth and seasonings.
There are two main types of jambalaya:
- Creole (or “red”) jambalaya includes tomatoes.
- Cajun jambalaya skips the tomatoes for a deeper, smokier flavor.
The version I’m sharing today uses chicken and sausage, along with tomatoes for a “Creole” version. It’s a hearty, comforting, and delicious take that’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner but flavorful enough to impress.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is just the list of ingredients you’ll need. You can find the full recipes and amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Meat
- Chicken- This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs tend to be more flavorful, tender, and moist than chicken breasts. However, feel free to use chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Sausage– Andouille sausage is a smoked, heavily seasoned pork sausage with a bold, spicy flavor, commonly used in Cajun and Creole cuisine. You could also use another smoked sausage, like kielbasa. Keep in mind that other smoked sausages won’t be as seasoned as the andouille, and you may have to adjust the seasonings in this recipe.
Veggies
- Onion- One medium sized yellow onion will approximately yield 1 cup of chopped onion this recipe calls for.
- Bell Pepper- Green bell pepper isthe traditional choice for jambalaya, but feel free to use another color or even mix it up by using several colors. One medium sized bell pepper will equal about 1 cup chopped.
- Celery- about 2 large celery stalks will equal one cup chopped.
Spices
- Creole Seasoning- Creole Seasoning is a blend of salt, red pepper, black pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder, among other spices depending on the brand you use. I use Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning.
- Smoked Paprika- using smoked paprika adds a great flavor to this jambalaya. If you don’t have smoked paprika, regular paprika works just fine.
- Thyme- Dried thyme is what is needed. Using fresh thyme would also be a great option if you have it available. If you use fresh thyme, you will need 3 teaspoons instead of the 1 teaspoon the recipe calls for. Dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor than fresh herbs.
- Salt & Pepper
- Bay leaves- 2 bay leaves are needed.Make sure to remove them from the pot before serving!
Canned Goods, Liquids, and Cooking Fats
- Chicken Stock- This recipe uses chicken stock, but you can use chicken broth as well. A 32 oz carton of chicken stock/broth will give you enough to use with this recipe.
- Tomatoes- Crushed tomatoes are used in this recipe. Crushed Roma tomatoes are specified for this recipe, because Roma tomatoes don’t contain a lot of excess liquid. I used the Cotadina brand.
- Rice- Long grain white rice cooks up fluffy and separately, absorbing the flavorful broth without becoming too sticky.
- Oil- I used olive oil, but you could use any neutral oil that you prefer.
- Butter- This recipe calls for unsalted, but salted butter works just fine.
Tools & Equipment
Dutch Oven
You’ll want to use at least a 6-quart Dutch oven for this recipe. It can be enameled or non-enameled.
Knife & Cutting board
Use a good knife and cutting board for cutting up your meat.
chopper
This isn’t a necessary tool, but I absolutely love this chopper. It makes chopping veggies a breeze!
Measuring Tools
You’ll need measuring cups and spoons to measure out the spices, rice, and the chicken stock.
How to Make It
Step 1: In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned on both sides, for about 5 minutes or so. Remove the sausage and set aside. Do not drain any grease from the pot.
Step 2: To the same pot, add the chicken. Sprinkle the salt and pepper onto the chicken and add the minced garlic. Cook the chicken on medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 3- 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside
Step 3: Sauté the onions, bell pepper, and celery until they just begin to soften.
Step 4: Add in the creole seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaves
Step 5: Return the chicken and sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
Step 6: Stir in the rice and reduce heat to low.
Step 7: Cover the pot with a lid and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
Step 8: Remove the bay leaves from the pot and serve.
Dutch Oven Jambalaya (Creole Style)
Ingredients
Directions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned on both sides, for about 5 minutes or so. Remove the sausage and set aside. Do not drain any grease from the pot.
- To the same pot, add the chicken. Sprinkle the salt and pepper onto the chicken and add the minced garlic. Cook the chicken on medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 3- 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté the onions, bell pepper, and celery until they just begin to soften. Add in the creole seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Return the chicken and sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in the rice and reduce heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot and serve.
