This hearty Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya brings New Orleans flavors straight to your dinner table in just 40 minutes. A perfect blend of tender chicken, smoky sausage, and perfectly seasoned rice creates a satisfying one-pot meal that’s both convenient and delicious.
With 30g of protein per serving and minimal prep time, this classic Cajun dish is ideal for busy weeknights when you want something flavorful without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredient Section
- Oil: 2 tablespoons, divided for sautéing meat and vegetables
- Andouille Sausages: 12 ounces, cut into ¼-inch thick slices for authentic flavor
- Chicken Breast: 1 boneless skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Vegetables: Yellow onion, green bell pepper, green onions, celery – all chopped for the trinity base
- Garlic: 3 cloves, minced for aromatic depth
- Seasonings: 2 tsp Cajun seasoning, dried basil, thyme, and sugar for perfect balance
- Rice: 1½ cups long grain white rice, essential for authentic texture
- Liquids: 14.5 oz diced tomatoes and 1¾ cups chicken broth for cooking base
Instructions Section
- Sausage Browning: Sauté sausage slices until golden brown, 2-3 minutes each side
- Chicken Cooking: Brown chicken pieces while scraping up flavorful bits from pan
- Vegetable Base: Add onion, pepper, celery, garlic and cook briefly until fragrant
- Seasoning Mix: Stir in Cajun seasoning, herbs, sugar, and rice until well combined
- Liquid Addition: Pour in tomatoes with juice, broth, and salt
- Pressure Cooking: Seal pot, cook on High for 5 minutes, natural release for 5 minutes
- Final Touch: Fluff rice, add sausages on top, rest covered for 5 minutes before serving
Cooking Techniques
The magic of this jambalaya happens in layers of flavor! Start by browning the sausage – those tasty bits that stick to the bottom of the pot are pure gold. When you add the chicken later, those browned bits mix in and create an amazing flavor base.
Don’t rush the browning process – those 2-3 minutes per side make all the difference. For the veggies, a quick one-minute sauté is perfect – they’ll finish cooking during the pressure cooking phase while staying nice and crisp.
Variations & Substitutions
This recipe is super flexible! If andouille sausage is too spicy, swap it for smoked sausage or kielbasa. Any color bell pepper works great – try red or yellow for a sweeter taste. Brown rice fans can use it instead of white rice, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time to 22 minutes.
Want it spicier? Add extra Cajun seasoning or throw in some diced jalapeños with your vegetables. For a seafood twist, add some peeled shrimp during the 5-minute rest at the end – they’ll cook perfectly in the residual heat!
Serving Suggestions
This jambalaya is a meal in itself, but a few simple sides can make it even better! Serve it with crusty French bread for soaking up the flavorful sauce. A simple side salad with creamy ranch dressing helps balance the spicy kick.
Hot sauce lovers can add their favorite Louisiana-style hot sauce at the table. For a true New Orleans touch, sprinkle fresh chopped parsley and extra green onions on top just before serving.
Storage Tips
Your jambalaya will taste amazing the next day! Let it cool completely, then pop it in an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth to keep the rice from drying out.
For longer storage, portion it into freezer bags – it freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Just remember to reheat gently to keep the rice nice and tender.
Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons oil divided
- 12 ounces andouille sausages cut into ¼ in. thick slices
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 3 green onions chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Turn instant pot to saute setting. Add oil. Once hot, add sausage slices, cooking until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
- Add remaining oil to the pot.
- Add the chicken and cook for one minute, scraping up the browned bits from the sausage. Turn instant pot off. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the Cajun seasoning, dried basil, thyme, sugar and rice and stir to combine.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, chicken broth, and salt.
- Secure the instant pot lid and turn valve to sealing.
- Cook on Manual High Pressure for 5 minutes. When the timer beeps, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Add the sausages on top of the rice and return the IP lid to let the mixture rest for an additional 5 minutes. Stir lightly and enjoy!
