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Delicious Enough is a newsletter by Simply Sissom. An exclusive + absurdly simple 30 minute or less recipe delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. |
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An Easy, One-Pot Jambalaya
Everything cooks together here.
BAILEY SISSOM
January 25, 2026
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It is cold here in Kentucky. Real winter-storm cold. As I’m writing this on Saturday night, we already have about two inches of snow on the ground, with a lot more still coming. Kentucky doesn’t get snow like this very often, which means everything slows way down and we are likely shut in for a few days. I would not be surprised if the boys are out of school all next week. Deep breaths.
This is exactly the kind of weather that calls for a big pot of something warm and filling, and this week that’s jambalaya. If you’ve never made it, jambalaya is a classic Louisiana one-pot meal, born from Cajun and Creole cooking and built to stretch simple ingredients into something delicious. Sausage, chicken, rice, vegetables, all simmered together so the rice absorbs every bit of flavor.
I intentionally keep this jambalaya on the mild side. That way everyone at the table can eat it, and anyone who wants heat can add it themselves. It’s a big, flexible pot of dinner, built to work for a lot of people and a lot of nights.
– Bailey
P.S. I've started sharing reels over on Instagram. It's new and a little uncomfortable for me, but I'm trying. If you're over there, come say hi @simplysissom.
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A Few Things I've Learned Making Jambalaya
- Keep it mild and let people add heat at the table
- Skip shrimp unless it’s a special dinner. It’s expensive and doesn’t love leftovers
- Pre-chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper are worth it when time is tight
- Don’t stir once the rice is in. Trust the process
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This Week in My Kitchen
- Easy Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Jambalaya
The recipe in this newsletter. One pot, mild, and great for feeding a crowd or stretching through the week.
- High Protein Cheesecake Jars
A fridge-friendly breakfast I’ve been eating all week. Simple, satisfying, and feels more like dessert than breakfast.
- Snow Day Soup + Cookies (Reel)
The easiest chicken noodle soup using ingredients you probably already have, plus my go-to chocolate chip cookies from Handle the Heat. I’ve tried a lot of cookie recipes and this one is still my favorite.
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Easy One- Pot Jambalaya
Servings: 12 mini meatloaves (6-8 servings)
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Jambalaya
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces smoked sausage or andouille, sliced
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cups long-grain white rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
For Serving (Optional)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Hot sauce
Instructions
Heat the olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the smoked sausage or andouille (12 ounces) and cook until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the chicken (1 pound) to the same pot and cook until lightly browned on the outside. Remove and set aside with the sausage.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion (1 medium), green bell pepper (1 large), and celery (2 ribs). Cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic (3 cloves) and cook for 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste (2 tablespoons) and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomato sauce (1 cup) and crushed tomatoes (1 cup), stirring well and scraping the bottom of the pan.
Add the paprika (1 teaspoon), smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), thyme (½ teaspoon), oregano (½ teaspoon), salt (½ teaspoon), pepper (¼ teaspoon), and bay leaf (1). Stir in the rice (1½ cups) and cook for 1 minute, stirring so the rice is fully coated.
Pour in the chicken broth (3 cups) and return the sausage and chicken to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
If using shrimp, nestle the shrimp (½ pound) into the rice, cover, and cook for 3–5 minutes, until just cooked through.
Remove the bay leaf and let the jambalaya rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently, taste, and adjust salt as needed. Finish with green onions and parsley if using.
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Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written.
Nut-Free: No nuts are used in this recipe.
Dairy-Free: Made without dairy.
Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare fully, cool, and store in an airtight container. Reheat gently with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the rice.
Mild by Design: This recipe is intentionally mild. The smoked sausage and paprika give plenty of flavor without heat. Hot sauce goes on the table so everyone can adjust their own bowl.
Rice Matters: Use long-grain white rice. Short-grain or jasmine rice will change the texture and can turn the pot gummy.
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Olive oil: Substitute with any neutral cooking oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil.
Andouille sausage: Look for fully cooked and smoked sausage in the refrigerated meat section. If true andouille isn’t available, a mild smoked sausage works well.
Chicken (skinless thighs or breasts): Both work. Thighs stay juicier, but breasts are easier to find and cook a little firmer. Choose whichever you prefer.
Shrimp (optional): Raw, peeled shrimp are best. Frozen shrimp are fine, just thaw before using. The recipe works well without shrimp if you prefer to keep it meat-based.
Onion: A yellow or white onion is ideal and easy to find.
Green bell pepper: Part of the classic flavor base, but not mandatory. If you don’t have one, use a red or yellow bell pepper, or add a little extra onion and celery instead.
Celery: Adds balance to the flavor base. If you’re short, use a bit more onion or bell pepper instead.
Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic is fine if that’s what you have.
Tomato paste: Helps deepen flavor and color. If you don’t have it, you can skip it and rely on the tomato sauce, knowing the flavor will be slightly lighter.
Tomato sauce: Forms the saucy base. Plain tomato sauce works best. If needed, crushed tomatoes blended smooth can stand in.
Crushed tomatoes: Adds body without chunks. If you only have diced tomatoes, pulse them briefly in a blender or food processor.
Spices: Paprika, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and black pepper build the seasoning base. If needed, replace them with 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or 2 to 2½ teaspoons Creole seasoning, adjusting to taste.
Bay leaves: Add background flavor while cooking. If you don’t have them, the dish will still work without them.
White rice: Long-grain white rice is best. Other types will change the texture and cook time, so this isn’t a great place to substitute.
Chicken broth or stock: Adds flavor while cooking the rice. Either works, and low-sodium is helpful for controlling salt.
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