Forgotten Once Slow Cooker Jambalaya Recipe

There’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of a slow cooker jambalaya simmering away, especially when it’s made easy in a slow cooker. Inspired by the bold, hearty flavors of Louisiana, this recipe brings the essence of New Orleans to your table with minimal effort. Perfect for a busy Wednesday, the holiday party, or any day you’re craving a taste of the South, it’s a dish that invites everyone to the table.

My wife loves having jambalaya when we are in New Orleans. It’s usually one of the first meals she’ll order. If it’s not the full order of the famous rice dish, it’s one of those ‘Taste of New Orleans‘ deals most restaurants offer – you know, the one where you get jambalaya, red beans and rice, and gumbo.

On our most recent trip, after checking into the hotel, we took a short walk over to the Chartres House on Chartres Street and Toulouse Street in the French Quarter. I ordered the red beans and rice that was served with grilled smoked sausage, Southern fried chicken strips, and crusty French bread while she enjoyed their ‘A Taste of New Orleans‘ meal that included red beans and rice, chicken and andouille gumbo, and jambalaya.

Jambalaya is a quintessential dish of Louisiana, with roots tracing all the way back to the times of the Spanish and French settlers. It embodies the state’s cultural melting pot, blending elements of paella with local ingredients like andouille sausage and the iconic trinity of celery, bell pepper, and onion. While there are debates over Creole versus Cajun styles, both share a spirit of resourcefulness with the main difference being to add tomatoes or not to add tomatoes. This recipe pays homage to those traditions, keeping the soul of Louisiana alive with every bite.

What is the Holy Trinity of Cajun and Creole cooking? You can read more about it here along with who da pope is.

Jambalaya is one of the most popular meals in New Orleans, but most New Orleanians don’t go out to a restaurant to order jambalaya – maybe Coop’s Place is an exception. Most will tell you that the restaurant versions of jambalaya are served up just for the tourists. Jambalaya is a home-cooked meal like red beans and rice and is best served there. While reading different discussion boards online about the topic of cooking jambalaya, most talking said that anyone can make a pot of jambalaya that will taste better than what any restaurant had to offer.

The history of the Forgotten Once Slow Cooker Jambalaya recipe:

After a trip to New Orleans in 2012, I focused on creating a slow cooker jambalaya recipe. I love my stovetop jambalaya recipe, but I wanted something that could be quick and easy to put together – something I could cook for parties while I could focus on something else. After some trial and error, the Forgotten Once Slow Cooker Jambalaya Recipe happened.

Back in the early days of blogging, when all this writing was read, you needed a really catchy title. I came across the word “forgotten” one day, wrote it down, then thought that it would be the perfect name for this slow cooker jambalaya recipe. So that’s what I published. Shortly after, there was another jambalaya recipe by a magazine with the same name. So, I changed my title to the Forgotten Once.

Soon after I first published it, the recipe was shared all over the place. It was getting pinned all over Pinterest – even the Huffington Post shared it as part of a slow cooker recipe roundup article! I had so much traffic from it for years… until the great website deletion of 2016.

If this recipe is the reason that you are here on my website – hello and welcome! Thank you for reading this far down, too! I have received thousands of comments, emails, and messages telling me about how this recipe was made for parties, work functions, church gatherings, or simply for the family on a weekday night and how loved it is. It still amazes me and I love reading each message.

How do you make the Slow Cooker Jambalaya?

1. Layer the Ingredients: Place the chicken at the bottom of the slow cooker, followed by the sliced sausage.

PRO TIP: Sear the sausage and chicken before adding them to the slow cooker for deeper, richer flavors.

2. Prepare the Sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, and seasonings. Stir in the diced vegetables until well combined.

3. Combine and Cook: Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken and sausage. Cover and cook on Low for 7-8 hours or High for 3-4 hours.

4. Handle the Rice:

• Option 1: Carefully ladle out the liquid from the slow cooker and reserve it. Use the liquid to cook the rice according to the package instructions. (TIP: Use a strainer to catch larger pieces and place the slow cooker insert over the sink for easier handling.)
• Option 2: Cook one cup of rice separately, then fold it into the slow cooker before serving.
• Option 3: Add instant rice directly into the slow cooker with 30 minutes of cooking time remaining. Mix well.

PRO TIP: Stick to long-grain white rice for that classic texture, or try brown rice for a nuttier flavor—just adjust cooking times.

5. Optional Shrimp Addition: If adding shrimp, stir thawed shrimp into the slow cooker with 30 minutes left on the timer. Due to my wife having shellfish allergies, I skip the shrimp.

6. Serve and Enjoy: Garnish with chopped green onions, pair with warm French bread, and set out hot sauce and Creole seasoning for extra flavor. Enjoy!

How do you store leftover Slow Cooker Jambalaya?

If you can’t finish all of the jambalaya here’s how to store and reheat it so those flavors stay as bold as the first bite:

Refrigerator: Let the jambalaya cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Freezer: For longer storage, portion your jambalaya into freezer-safe containers or resealable bags. Lay the bags flat for easier storage. It can stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Pro Tip: If you’re planning to freeze leftovers, cook the rice separately and add it fresh when reheating. This prevents the rice from getting mushy.

How do you reheat leftover jambalaya?

Stovetop: Heat your jambalaya in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of chicken stock or water to loosen it up if needed.

Microwave: For a quick option, microwave individual portions in a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a damp paper towel to retain moisture and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each.

Oven: For larger portions, transfer the jambalaya to an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes.

Tips for Best Results

• Add fresh garnishes like chopped green onions and a dash of hot sauce when reheating to bring those flavors back.
• Avoid reheating shrimp repeatedly as it can overcook. If possible, remove them before storing and add fresh shrimp when reheating.

This way, whether you’re savoring leftovers or enjoying meal prep, your jambalaya will taste just as good and flavorful as the day it was made.

Want more classic New Orleans dishes?

Create your own Taste of New Orleans plate with these recipes:

• Monday Red Beans and Rice recipe
• Chicken and Andouille Sausage with Okra Gumbo
• New Orleans Yakamein

Did you try this Forgotten Once Slow Cooker Jambalaya recipe? Share your results in the comments below or tag @RedBeansAndEric on social media. Let’s keep the Louisiana tradition alive!

Forgotten Once Jambalaya Slow Cooker Recipe

The chicken is slow cooked with smoked sausage and the perfect combination of spices that make this a truly an unforgettable meal!

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Main - POULTRY

Cuisine: Cajun, Creole, New Orleans

Keyword: crockpot, forgotten, jambalaya, slow cooker

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Adding Rice to the Slow Cooker: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 8 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Author: Red Beans and Eric

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• slow cooker
• Small pot, for rice

Ingredients

• 1 lbs boneless chicken thighs
• 1 lbs smoked sausage cut to ¼-inch rounds
• 1 10- oz can Rotel tomatoes with chiles undrained
• 1 14- oz can chicken stock
• 1 6- oz can tomato paste
• 1 onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 3 celery ribs chopped
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp hot sauce
• 1 cup uncooked rice * more options in 'Step 3'
• 1 lbs shrimp optional
• green onion for garnish

Instructions

• Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, then top with the sausage. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, and seasonings; add the diced vegetables to mixture. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken and sausage in the slow cooker.
• Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High.
• Once the slow cooker has finished, there are a couple of options with the rice: 1. Ladle out as much of the liquid out as possible - but saving the liquid. Once I have all the liquid out that I can get with the ladle, with oven mitts, I carefully pull out the insert and drain the remaining liquid. I then cook the rice, according to the package instructions, using the reserved liquids from the slow cooker. TIP: I place the container to catch the liquids in the sink and use the edge of the sink to help support the insert. I use a strainer to catch any of the bigger pieces that happen to fall out of the slow cooker while it is tilted. 2. Cook the one cup of rice separately. When the rice is done, fold the cooked rice into the slow cooker. 3. You can use instant rice with 30-minutes remaining. Make sure that the rice is well mixed with the other ingredients before covering the slow cooker.
• {Optional Step} After the rice is added, with 30-minutes of cooking time remaining, this is the point you would add thawed shrimp to the slow cooker.
• Garnish with chopped green onions, serve with warm French bread; offer hot sauce and Creole Seasoning at the table. Enjoy!

Did you try this recipe?Mention @redbeansandericblog or tag #redbeansanderic!

Red Beans and Eric

Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.