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    Instant Pot Jambalaya

    Instant Pot 30-Minute Meals Dairy-Free Recipes Easy Pork Recipes Gluten Free March 4, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 104 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    This all-in-one recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya is made with chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, and rice, for a flavorful 30-minute meal. This Cajun Jamabalya is a quick and easy comfort food recipe your family will love.

    This all-in-one recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya is made with chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, and rice, for a flavorful meal that is ready in under 30 minutes. 

    If you are looking for other easy, one-pot Instant Pot recipes, you don't want to miss my recipes for Instant Pot Shrimp Boil, Instant Pot Sausage and Potatoes, and Instant Pot Chicken and Rice.

    Instant Pot Jambalaya on white plate topped with parsley.


    When it comes to developing flavor fast, I love turning to my Instant Pot. An electric pressure cooker seals in the heat AND flavor, allowing meals to be cooked quickly without sacrificing the taste. In fact, I find that many Instant Pot recipes are MORE flavorful than the stove-top or oven version. 

    Take this Instant Pot Jambalaya. This classic Cajun dish can take hours to make on the stove and the rice often needs babysitting to ensure that it cooks perfectly. 

    When using the Instant Pot to make Cajun Jambablya, it comes together in less than 30 minutes and delivers jambalaya full of tender chicken, andouille sausage, perfectly cooked rice, and tons of Cajun spice! I also include instructions for making this pressure cooker jambalaya with or without shrimp--because some of us like it, and some of us don't 😉

    Bottom line, Instant Pot Jambalaya delivers a delicious one-pot meal filled with Creole and Cajun flavors and is a life-saver on busy nights.

    Ingredients for Jambalaya

    Ingredients for instant pot jambalaya labeled on counter.
    • Holy Trinity: The holy trinity in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine refers to the combination of onions, bell peppers, and celery. This recipe for Jambablaya starts off by sauteeing this classic combination in oil to develop authentic flavor. Use any color of bell pepper you like.
    • Andouille Sausage: For an authentic jambalaya recipe, use andouille sausage. However, smoked sausage or Cajun chicken sausage work as well. I personally love using chicken cajun-style sausage to keep the fat on the lower end.
    • Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs that have been cubed into bite-sized pieces. 
    • Rice: In order for your chicken not to overcook, it is best to use long-grain white rice, not brown rice. Brown rice requires a MUCH longer cooking time, which would overcook the chicken.  Because I am using pre-cooked, chicken sausage, I chose to use Jasmine rice, which only cooks in 3 minutes. You can use brown rice, simply increase the cooking time to 22 minutes.
    • Seasoning: I used a homemade Cajun Seasoning, that is simple to make and lower in sodium than store-bought brands. That said, feel free to use any brand of cajun seasoning you like. I also recommend adding a dried bay leaf and dried thyme leaves, which help to replicate the authentic flavor of jambalaya.
    • Diced Tomatoes: Use one 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes. 
    • Chicken Stock: For the cooking liquid, use low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock or broth. Alternatively, you can use seafood stock if you have it on hand. 
    • Shrimp: The shrimp is completely optional, yet authentic in Jamabalya recipes. I have found it is best to use fresh or defrosted small, deveined, shrimp and add them AFTER pressure cooking. The residual heat will cook the shrimp through. If you want to add shrimp prior to pressure cooking, I would use frozen jumbo shrimp. 
    • Hot Sauce: To add a bit more heat and flavor to the jambalaya, add hot sauce as desired after pressure cooking. I often stir in a teaspoon, allowing people to add more as desired.
    • Worcestershire Sauce: A little bit of Worcestershire sauce adds a rich umami flavor to the dish, helping it to taste as though it simmered for hours.

    How to Make Instant Pot Jambalaya

    While this is an incredibly simple recipe, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes.

    • Turn Instant Pot to saute, add in the oil, and let heat for a minute or two. You can use that time to dice up your chicken, onion, peppers, celery, and chicken.
    • Once the oil has heated, add the sausage, chicken, onions, peppers, and celery to the inner pot and saute for a couple of minutes, stirring often, until the onions are just beginning to soften up.
    • Add in garlic, and saute for 30 seconds longer, being careful to not allow garlic to burn. Turn Instant Pot OFF by hitting cancel.
    Side by side photo showing inner pot before and after sauteeing holy trinity with sausage and chicken.
    • Add in a bit of the broth or stock and scrape up any browned bits of food from the bottom of the pan. This is crucial to prevent a burn warning!
    • Stir in the rest of the broth along with the cajun seasoning, thyme, and bay leaf.
    • Add the rice to the cooking liquid, and gently push it down to submerge it fully into the liquid.
    • Top the rice with diced tomatoes, but DO NOT STIR! This also helps to prevent a burn notice. 
    Side by side photo showing inner pot with ingredients for jambalaya before and after adding tomatoes.
    • Place the lid on your pressure cooker and be sure the lid is locked and the venting knob is sealed.
    • Set to cook on high pressure, using the manual or pressure cooker button, not the rice button, for 3 minutes.
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes, but a full pressure release is best. This ensures your rice stays tender and fluffy.
    • While pressure is releasing, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and then toss them with a bit of cajun seasoning.
    • Once pressure is released, open the lid and add the seasoned shrimp. Place the lid immediately back on the inner pot and let it be for 5-10 minutes, or until the shrimp are fully cooked from the residual heat.
    Side by side photo showing inner pot before and after letting the shrimp cook through.
    • Once the shrimp have cooked, add the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, and fluff the rice with a fork to combine everything together.
    • Serve with lemon wedges and additional hot sauce.
    Spoonful scooping out jambalaya out of instant pot.

    FAQs about Pressure Cooker Jambalaya

    Is the shrimp necessary?

    No! Absolutely not. While traditional, jambalaya is absolutely delicious with or without shrimp.

    I only have jumbo shrimp, will that work?

    I would add frozen jumbo shrimp prior to pressure cooking. Simply add the seasoned frozen shrimp on top of the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes as directed. I do find that the shrimp will still be a bit overcooked, so I recommend using thawed small shrimp for best results.

    Can I use brown rice?

    I don't recommend brown rice for this recipe, as it needs to be cooked for 22 minutes instead of 3 minutes, so the chicken will be overcooked in that time frame.

    Is it necessary to rinse the rice?

    I highly recommend rinsing the rice before pressure cooking. Rinsing rice will remove the surface starch that can cause the rice to get mushy and stick together when cooked.

    More Instant Pot Easy Dinner Recipes

    • Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken
    • Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
    • Instant Pot Spaghetti
    • Instant Pot Pork Chops
    • Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole

    The next time you need a FAST meal full of flavor, try out this recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya--it won't disappoint! And if you gave it a try, be sure to leave a review and comment below.

    Instant Pot Jambalaya on white plate topped with parsley.

    Instant Pot Jambalaya

    Spicy sausage, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked shrimp are enveloped in a spicy mixture of vegetables and rice in this easy recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya.
    4.76 from 45 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes
    Pressure Build-Up and Release: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 33 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 532kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • 12 ounces Andouille or smoked Cajun sausage sliced into 1-inch rounds
    • 6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch chunks
    • 1 small onion diced
    • 1 small red bell pepper diced
    • 1 stalk celery minced
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
    • 2 cups long grain white rice rinsed well
    • 3 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning divided
    • ½ teaspooon dried thyme leaves
    • 1 dried bay leaf
    • 15 ounces diced tomatoes
    • ½ tablespoon hot sauce optional
    • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
    • 1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined optional
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Turn Instant Pot to saute, add in the oil, and let heat for a minute or two.
    • Once heated, add the sausage, chicken, onions, peppers, and celery to the inner pot and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are just beginning to soften up. Add in garlic, and saute for 30 seconds longer, being careful to not allow garlic to burn. Turn Instant Pot OFF by hitting cancel.
    • Add in ½ cup of the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot. Stir in the remaining chicken stock, 2 teaspoons of cajun seasoning, thyme, and bay leaf.
    • Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and place under running water for 1-2 minutes to fully rinse. Add the rice and gently push, not stir the rice, with the back of a spoon to submerge the rice into the liquid. Pour tomatoes on top of the rice mixture. Do not stir in tomatoes.
    • Place the lid on Instant Pot and set the cooking time by hitting manual/pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time to 3 minutes on high pressure.
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minute.
    • While pressure is releasing, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and then toss with the remaining 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning. Once pressure is released, open the lid and add the seasoned shrimp. Place the lid back on the inner pot and let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the shrimp are fully cooked (the residual heat will cook the shrimp).
    • After the shrimp is fully cooked, open the inner pot again, add the Worcestershire Sauce and hot sauce, and gently fluff everything together with a fork to combine, removing the bay leaf when you come across it.
    • Serve.

    Equipment Needed

    • Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

    Notes

    Rice: Use long-grain white rice and be sure to RINSE your rice, as this will help it not stick to the bottom of the inner pot and prevents it from getting mushy as it cooks.
    Sausage: Smoked sausage or Cajun-flavored chicken sausage work in place of andouille.
    Shrimp: Be sure your shrimp is fully defrosted and SMALL. If using jumbo shrimp I would recommend adding it to the inner pot FROZEN on top of the tomatoes.
    Storage: Leftover Jambalaya will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 532kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 672mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1141IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Jennifer Williams

      June 14, 2023 at 5:56 pm

      Hi Kristen! If I sub brown rice for the long grain white rice will that effect the cooking time on the instant pot?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 15, 2023 at 6:40 am

        Hi Jennifer! Yes, the cooking would change. Brown rice needs 22 minutes instead of 3 minutes. I prefer white rice for this recipe so that the chicken does not overcook and dry out, as it likely would if using brown rice.

        Reply
    2. Reginia Sam

      April 10, 2023 at 7:31 pm

      Can I use chicken thighs with the skin on since that’s all I have ?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 11, 2023 at 7:52 am

        Hi Regina! For the timing tobwork, the chicken needs to be cut into bite-sized pieces. So as long as you plan to do that, yes, chicken thighs with the skin will work fine.

        Reply
    3. Linda

      February 21, 2023 at 10:01 am

      Hi, My son is allergic to shellfish. If I omit the Shrimp is the rice fully cooked after step 6 or should I let it sit for another 10 minutes?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 21, 2023 at 10:06 am

        Hi Linda! I make this dish all the time without adding shrimp. It will be perfect after step 6. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Lynda

      January 29, 2023 at 8:18 pm

      5 stars
      Oh wow - that was delicious! Even picky kiddos had clean plates 😊
      Thank you Kristen - one for the rotation!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 30, 2023 at 6:37 am

        You are so welcome, Lynda! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂

        Reply
        • Chris

          February 18, 2023 at 11:26 am

          This looks delicious! In an effort to add more veggies, what do you think about adding frozen okra? When do you think it should it be added to avoid overcooking it?

          Reply
          • Kristen Chidsey

            February 18, 2023 at 12:54 pm

            Hi Chris, I would defrost the okra first and then add with the tomatoes.

            Reply
    5. Erin

      November 03, 2020 at 9:34 am

      Should the frozen shrimp be pre-cooked or raw?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        November 03, 2020 at 1:33 pm

        I prefer raw for the best texture and results but pre-cooked technically works.

        Reply
      • Amber

        December 12, 2020 at 8:37 pm

        5 stars
        This recipe is delicious! I added a little more cajun seasoning and did not use hot sauce. But it cooks perfectly. Love it.

        Reply
        • Kristen Chidsey

          December 13, 2020 at 8:15 am

          YAY! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Amber! So happy to hear you enjoyed!

          Reply
    6. Dani

      October 25, 2020 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing! I did add a few jalapeños just because we're practically swimming in them. It was incredibly tasty and so easy. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        October 26, 2020 at 6:49 am

        I am glad you enjoyed this Dani! And nothing wrong with a little extra heat 😉

        Reply
    7. Madeline Marks

      July 29, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      I've been making this stuff for almost two years now. it's SO GOOD. and easy!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        July 29, 2020 at 1:47 pm

        I LOVE hearing this Madeline! Thanks for sharing and I hope you continue to enjoy!

        Reply
    8. Jennifer

      June 26, 2020 at 1:21 pm

      5 stars
      Definitely making this again! YUMMMMM!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 26, 2020 at 4:15 pm

        WAHOO!! I love hearing when a recipe is so enjoyed you want to make it again!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

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    This all-in-one recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya is made with chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, and rice, for a flavorful 30-minute meal. This Cajun Jamabalya is a quick and easy comfort food recipe your family will love.

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

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    This all-in-one recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya is made with chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, and rice, for a flavorful 30-minute meal. This Cajun Jamabalya is a quick and easy comfort food recipe your family will love.

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