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    Home > One Pot

    Chicken, Chorizo and Prawn Jambalaya

    Published: Nov 29, 2018 · Modified: Oct 31, 2019 by Nicky Corbishley

    Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe
    Overhead image of jambalaya with chicken and king prawns

    This hearty, rich Chicken, Chorizo and Prawn Jambalaya is great for family gatherings. Just plonk it on the table with a few wedges of lemon and let everyone dig in. This is a one pot recipe - less washing up yay!
    Overhead image of jambalaya with chicken and king prawns

    You should be able to feed 5 or 6 people out of this - or 4 in our case with leftovers for THE BEST lunch.

    I love a bit of one pot cooking (I've got a whole section of the blog devoted to them in my One Pot Section). Such satisfaction in throwing things in a pan at different stages and ending up with a lovely dinner.

    It's not one of those pretend one-pot cooking recipes, where you have to cook a few bits, then scrape into a bowl and cook the next bit in the same pan - thereby needlessly dirtying a bowl.  If I'm going to have to wash a bowl up, I might as well use an extra pan in the first place! So, yes, this uses one pan, and you just keep adding ingredients in until it's all done.

    Start by softening the onions, celery and garlic in a pan with a little oil:Onions and garlic cooking in a pan

    Add in the chicken and cook to seal:

    Adding chicken to a pan of cooked onions

    Add the chorizo and cook through for a few minutes:

    Onions, chicken and chorizo cooking in a pan

    Add in the red peppers and rice and give it a stir:

    Rice being poured into a pan of chicken and chorizo for jambalaya

    Add in those lovely spices (Cajun spice and paprika) and tomato puree (paste) and stir again:

    Pan of chicken. chorizo, rice and spices for jambalaya

    Stir in a tin of chopped tomatoes and about 3 ¼ cups of hot chicken stock and bring to the boil:

    Pouring stock into a pan of jambalaya

    Then turn the heat down, place a lid on and simmer (stir occasionally and top up with a little more stock if required) for about 20 minutes:

    Placing a lid on a pan of jambalaya

    Add in chopped okra and cook for a further 5 minutes:

    Close up image of slicing okra

    Top with those juicy prawns. Place the lid back on and allow them to cook for 5 minutes until they turn pink:

    Raw king prawns placed on top of jambalaya ready for heating through

    Serve topped with spring onions (scallions) and lemon wedges:

    Close up of pan of Jambalaya

    Can I make it gluten free?

    Yes - this recipe is already gluten free providing you use gluten free stock. Also check your chorizo brand. They're often gluten free, but best to check.

    Can I make it ahead?

    Yes, cook the jambalaya, then cool, cover and refrigerate. I find it's best to transfer to a microwaveable container and heat through in the microwave with a splash of water until piping hot.

    It can be reheat in the oven too for about 20 minutes on 180C/350F. Add a splash of water or stock and stir once or twice whilst reheating.

    Personally I'm not keen on reheated prawns (shrimp), so i'd add leave them out when cooking the dish ahead and add them to the dish for the last 5 minutes of reheating.

    Will it freeze?

    Yes, cool, cover and freeze, then defrost in the refrigerator over night before heating in the oven or microwave (as per the instructions above).

    I find it better to freeze in portions, as it takes quite a while for a whole pan to cool down and to defrost.

    Can I make it in the crockpot?

    I haven't had success at this one yet (sloppy rice argh!). I'll update this post if I crack it.

    Can I make it in the oven?

    Yes, after adding the tomatoes and stock and bringing to the boil in step 3, cover and place in the oven at 180C/350F for 20 minutes. Continue with the rest of the instructions (adding okra and prawns) but put back in the oven to continue cooking.

    Tips for success:

    • Best pan to use: I like to use a wide cast iron pan for this dish (like this one <--affiliate link), but you can also use a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) with a lid. Using a pan that's too deep can mean the rice doesn't cook as evenly and you have to stir it more - which results in sloppy, sticky rice.
    • Stirring: Try not to stir too often. Stirring the rice activates the starch, which can make the rice sticky and mushy.
    • Using cooked meat/prawns - can you cooked prawns and chicken instead of raw? Yes, add the chicken in during stage one and just heat through for a minute before continuing with step 2.
      Add the prawns as you would with raw prawns (they take the same amount of time to heat through as they do to cook from raw).

    The Chicken, Chorizo and Prawn Jambalaya Recipe:

    Overhead image of jambalaya

    Chicken Chorizo and Prawn Jambalaya

    By: Nicky Corbishley
    My chicken, chorizo and prawn jambalaya is a quick one-pot dinner with loads of flavour! Gluten free too!
    5 from 6 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American, Creole
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 523 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 large onion - finely chopped
    • 1 stick celery - chopped
    • Pinch of salt
    • 2 cloves of garlic - peeled and finely chopped
    • 3 chicken breasts - chopped into chunks
    • 120 g chorizo - chopped into chunks
    • 1 red pepper - chopped
    • 450 g long grain rice
    • 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • 1 tbsp tomato puree
    • 14 oz (400ml) tin chopped tomatoes
    • 4 cups (960ml) chicken stock - (use bouillon or gluten free stock if needed for gluten free)
    • Pinch of salt and pepper
    • 1 cup (100g) okra - chopped (this is optional, or you could use green peppers or courgette instead)
    • 18 de-veined king prawns, tail on

    To serve:

    • 2 spring onions/scallions chopped
    • 1 lemon chopped into wedges

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Heat the olive oil in a large casserole pan, add in the onions, celery and a pinch of salt.  Cook on a low heat for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened.  
      Onions and garlic cooking in a pan
    • Add in the garlic and continue to cook for another minute, then add in the chicken and cook (giving it the occasional stir) for about 5 mins until the chicken is sealed.
      Adding chicken to a pan of cooked onions
    • Add in the chorizo and cook for another couple of minutes, then add in the red peppers, cook for another minute before adding the rice.  
      Rice being poured into a pan of chicken and chorizo for jambalaya
    • Given the rice a stir and add in the Cajun spice, paprika and tomato puree. Stir together until everything is coated in the spices.
      Pan of chicken. chorizo, rice and spices for jambalaya
    • Add in the chopped tomatoes and about 3 ¼ cups (780ml) of the stock.  Stir and bring to the boil.  Keep giving everything a stir to prevent the rice sticking to the bottom.  
      Pouring stock into a pan of jambalaya
    • Once it’s reached bubbling point, place the lid on and turn the heat down so that the dish is barely bubbling. Cook for about 20 minutes, giving it a stir every so often to prevent the rice from sticking. You may find that the rice is starting to look too dry, if so, add some more stock.
      Placing a lid on a pan of jambalaya
    • After the 20 mins are up, add in the chopped okra, give everything a stir, add a bit more of the stock if needed, place the lid back on a cook for another 5 mins.
      Close up image of slicing okra
    • After the 5 mins, test the rice, if it’s nearly cooked, place the prawns (shrimp) on top, put the lid back on and cook for a further 5 mins.  If the rice is still hard, continue to cook (adding a little more stock water again if needed) until it’s nearly ready before adding the prawns.
      Raw king prawns placed on top of jambalaya ready for heating through
    • Once cooked, sprinkle on the chopped spring onions/scallions and serve with wedges of lemon.
      Wide image of a pan of jambalaya

    Video

    ✎ Notes

    Can I make it gluten free?

    Yes - this recipe is already gluten free providing you use gluten free stock. Also check your chorizo brand. They're often gluten free, but best to check.
    .

    Can I make it ahead?

    Yes, cook the jambalaya, then cool, cover and refrigerate. I find it's best to transfer to a microwaveable container and heat through in the microwave with a splash of water until piping hot.
    It can be reheat in the oven too for about 20 minutes on 180C/350F. Add a splash of water or stock and stir once or twice whilst reheating.
    Personally I'm not keen on reheated prawns (shrimp), so i'd add leave them out when cooking the dish ahead and add them to the dish for the last 5 minutes of reheating.
    .

    Will it freeze?

    Yes, cool, cover and freeze, then defrost in the refrigerator over night before heating in the oven or microwave (as per the instructions above).
    I find it better to freeze in portions, as it takes quite a while for a whole pan to cool down and to defrost.
    .

    Can I make it in the crockpot?

    I haven't had success at this one yet (sloppy rice argh!). I'll update this post if I crack it.
    .

    Can I make it in the oven?

    Yes, after adding the tomatoes and stock and bringing to the boil in step 3, cover and place in the oven at 180C/350F for 20 minutes. Continue with the rest of the instructions (adding okra and prawns) but put back in the oven to continue cooking.
    .

    Tips for success:

    • Best pan to use: I like to use a wide cast iron pan for this dish (like this one <--affiliate link), but you can also use a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) with a lid. Using a pan that's too deep can mean the rice doesn't cook as evenly and you have to stir it more - which results in sloppy, sticky rice.
    • Stirring: Try not to stir too often. Stirring the rice activates the starch, which can make the rice sticky and mushy.
    • Using cooked meat/prawns - Can you cooked prawns and chicken instead of raw? Yes, add the chicken in during stage one and just heat through for a minute before continuing with step 2.
      Add the prawns as you would with raw prawns (they take the same amount of time to heat through as they do to cook from raw).
    .
    Nutritional Information is per serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 29gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 1101mgPotassium: 733mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1625IUVitamin C: 48.8mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 3mg
    Keywords Any Time Of the year, autumn, Fall, winter
    Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

    This recipe was first published in April 2014. Updated in November 2018 with new photos, video, tips and step by step photos. Want to see how bad the old photo was? Here it is (cringe!!):

    Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

    Read More
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    1. Sunny Verma says

      July 08, 2021 at 11:55 am

      5 stars
      I really like your articles, I just try Chicken, Chorizo, and Prawn Jambalaya recipes. Thank you for a share with us.
      Kashish Food was one leading exporter in New Zealand for Indian food Items.

      Reply
    2. Ullrick Peter Priebe says

      February 21, 2021 at 4:51 am

      5 stars
      Simply amazing!!

      Reply
    3. kashish food says

      June 29, 2020 at 2:33 am

      5 stars
      Introduced this recipe very beautifully and tastefully. Thank you, will you write a Recipe on Rice Biryani too?

      Reply
    4. Danielle Wolter says

      November 29, 2018 at 7:45 pm

      5 stars
      This looks incredible. Love jambalaya, or really any cajun inspired dish. So many great flavors. And if that is your kitchen, I am in love! So beautiful!

      Reply
    5. TC says

      October 03, 2018 at 7:40 am

      5 stars
      Fab tasty Jambalaya, made without prawns (not keen on shellfish), but still bloomin' good.

      Reply
    6. Paul says

      October 24, 2015 at 6:39 am

      Awesome meal. A dash of squeezed lemon at the end completely transforms the dish into something different.

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        October 25, 2015 at 8:49 am

        oh yum! You've just reminded me that I haven't made this in ages. Need to remedy that asap!

        Reply
    7. cloudthyme says

      April 11, 2014 at 8:43 pm

      I agree, love one-pot meals! This looks wonderful, and such great comfort food!

      Reply
      • nickycorbishley says

        April 11, 2014 at 8:49 pm

        Thanks cloudthyme! It certainly was tasty 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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