Instant Pot Jambalaya
Made with rice, smoked sausage, tomatoes, and optional shrimp, this easy recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya sings with classic Cajun flavors and comes together in record time.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces Andouille or smoked Cajun sausage sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 small red or green bell pepper diced
- 1 stalk celery minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning for seasoning rice
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 cups long-grain white rice rinsed well
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ tablespoon hot sauce optional
Shrimp (Optional)
- 12 ounces small shrimp, peeled and deveined optional
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for shrimp
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice for shrimp
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté, add 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil to the inner pot and let heat for one minute. Once heated, add the sausage, chicken, onion, pepper, and celery. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are just beginning to soften and the chicken is lightly golden. Add the garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds longer, being careful to not allow garlic to burn. Turn Instant Pot OFF by hitting cancel.
- Add 2 cups low sodium chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot. Stir in 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and 1 dried bay leaf.
- Place 2 cups long-grain white 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 the diced tomatoes over the rice mixture. Do not stir!
- 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 minutes.
- While pressure is releasing, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and then toss with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- 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 pearly pink and opaque. The residual heat will cook the shrimp.
- After the shrimp is fully cooked, open the inner pot again, add ½ tablespoon hot sauce and 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce and gently fluff everything together with a fork to combine, removing the bay leaf when you come across it. Serve.
Video
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 larger shrimp, season and sauté in a bit of butter or olive oil over medium heat until cooked through. Add the jambalaya after pressure cooking.
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
