Sheet Pan Jambalaya
Looking for an easy and delicious dinner idea? This Sheet Pan Jambalaya is a new favorite in our house! (And it tastes amazing for leftover lunch the next day, too!)
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This Sheet Pan Jambalaya is definitely one of those recipes where two worlds collide. You see, I was taught how to make jambalaya by a coworker back when I lived in south Louisiana. She was older (maybe in her 60’s although I never asked, of course), and the recipe had been passed down through her family for years. That is one heck of a delicious jambalaya, and it remains on the short list of favorite Cajun recipes in our house.
Sheet pan dinners seem to be all the rage lately. Well, to be fair, sheet pan dinners have been around for a few years. What’s not to love about a delicious dinner that can be baked on a single sheet pan? Easy prep. Easy clean up. Delicious food. That seems like it checks off all 3 of the boxes for me!
So take that jambalaya and turn it into a sheet pan dinner? Now you’re cooking with gas! (My grandma used to say that all the time. I still don’t know exactly what it means, but it sounds pretty cool.) This Sheet Pan Jambalaya cheats a little bit in that it needs 2 pans…err, 1 pot and 1 pan. You need to cook the rice separately and then mix it in with the rest of the jambalaya ingredients. However, this recipe is worth 2 pans! Trust me on this one, friends. In fact, Laura and I both agreed that this is how we’ll be making all of our jambalayas from now on.
Sheet Pan Jambalaya
Sheet Pan JambalayaTraditionally, jambalaya starts by sauteing the Cajun holy trinity (onions, celery and green bell peppers) in a skillet before adding the sausage, chicken and other ingredients. However, in this sheet pan version, everything gets chopped and mixed up on the same sheet pan. It bakes in the oven for ~18 minutes which is conveniently about the same time it takes to cook the rice. Add the rice to the sheet pan, carefully stir it up (I used a flat turner to mix it) and then let it bake for a few more minutes. The result is a delicious jambalaya!
Jambalaya is one of those recipes that tastes even better as leftovers. Go ahead and make your coworkers jealous. Make this Sheet Pan Jambalaya for dinner tonight, and then bring the leftovers to work tomorrow. I promise it’ll be tasty! (This version is moderately spicy which we really liked. It was just spicy enough to be hot but not too hot. Of course, feel free to adjust the Cajun seasoning and hot sauce to your liking.)
Did you make this Sheet Pan Jambalaya at home? Leave a comment. Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). Enjoy!
Sheet Pan Jambalaya
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups uncooked white rice
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp hot sauce
For the Jambalaya
- 3 bell peppers chopped into 1” strips
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped into 1” strips
- 2 celery ribs cut into ½” pieces
- 1½ Tbsp minced garlic
- 16 oz. andouille sausage sliced
- 16 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning divided
- ½ Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup green onions sliced
- ¼ cup Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
For the Rice
- Using a medium saucepan, add chicken stock and place over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, add rice and stir. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Cook for 20 minutes. (Note: Do not remove the lid or stir during this step.)
- Remove lid and fluff rice with fork.
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.
For the Jambalaya
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F.
- Using a large mixing bowl, add everything except for diced tomatoes and green onions (chopped bell peppers, onion, celery, garlic, sausage, chicken, olive oil, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, onion powder and smoked paprika; toss until well combined.
- Spray a rimmed sheet pan with non-stick baking spray. Spread jambalaya mixture onto pan. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until chicken and sausage are fully cooked.
- Remove sheet pan from oven and add cooked rice and drained tomatoes; stir until well combined. (Note: There will be a fair amount of excess liquid in the bottom of the pan at this stage. Use caution when removing the sheet pan from the oven.)
- Continue baking for 6-8 more minutes, or until the excess liquid in the bottom of the pan has been absorbed.
- Sprinkle with green onions and Italian parsley before serving.
Looking for more tasty Cajun and Creole recipes? Check out some of these favorites, too:
David, I’m loving this sheet pan jambalaya! It can’t get any easier than a sheet pan dinner – easy to make, easy to serve, and easy to clean up. Plus all those fantastic flavors! This would be a real treat on the dinner table!
You know, I gotta say that a good sheet pan dinner is worth it’s weight in gold…gold beads that is! 🙂 Happy Mardi Gras, Kelly!
Sheet pan dinners are the best, and I totally don’t mind dirtying one measly extra pot for this gorgeous meal :). Seriously, this sounds awesome!
Let’s make a deal, Kelsie. I’ll do all of the dishes if you show up with a batch of those coffee cupcakes. Sound fair? 🙂
Sheet pan dinners are clearly a trendy thing these days! But sheet pan Jambalaya? Who would have though it? (Although now, after reading this post, it appears like the obvious choice.) My last jambalaya at a restaurant turned out rather disappointing, so I should make this ASAP!
Tell me about it, Ben! I wouldn’t have thought it possible to make jambalaya on a sheet pan. Not only is it possible, it’s now my go-to way to make jambalaya! Sorry to hear about the sad jambalaya experience. I promise this one will be better! 🙂
I do love a good sheet pan dinner – and never would have thought to do Jambalaya! Such a great idea, my friend!
Jambalaya is such an unexpected sheet pan dinner…but I’m telling ya that it works, Alexandra! (And it works quite well. So well that it’s our new go-to way to cook jambalaya.) Happy Mardi Gras, my friend!
lots of good flavours going on there david. so, a sheet pan looks like some kind of baking tray…
Haha! Every post seems to present ‘lost in translation’ moments, Sherry. Yes, a sheet pan is a rimmed baking tray. 🙂 And it works quite well for making jambalaya!
What a fun way to celebrate Mardi Gras. I love the idea of sheet pan dinners – they just make everything so darned easy! This looks delicious!
Sheet pan dinners really do make everything easier! And this sheet pan jambalaya is a bit of an unexpected idea…but I’m telling you that it works, Kathy! It works so well that this has become our new go-to method for cooking jambalaya. Happy Mardi Gras!
I’m loving all the sheet pan recipes out at the moment, and this is no exception. I love a good jambalaya. My family would devour this!
A good jambalaya truly is hard to beat, Matt! And I’m telling you to give the sheet pan method a try when it comes to jambalaya. It’s unexpected, but it works! (It’s our new go-to method in fact.) Happy Mardi Gras, my friend!
I love Jambalaya but I’ve definitely never made it as a sheet pan recipe. This is genius David. What’s not to like about classic flavours all done on a single sheet pan, it’s much easier to make this way. Plus it saves on all that washing up too!
Exactly! Jambalaya in a sheet pan might be unexpected, but I’m telling you that it works. In fact, it works so well that it’s become our new favorite way to make jambalaya. Definitely give it a shot sometime, Neil!
David, did you know I’ve never tried to make jambalaya? Shocking, I know… Actually exploring Cajun (or is it Creole?) cooking has been on my to-do list for some time now. This might be the way to start. It sounds pretty quick and easy. And really tasty!
By the way, I’m thinking “cooking with gas” must have something to do with gas being more efficient than say wood burning stoves? Just a guess…
Now that is shocking indeed! Mardi Gras is tomorrow…well, technically Fat Tuesday is tomorrow…but you get the point. I think it’s the perfect time to try your hand at jambalaya! I love Cajun and Creole cooking, and I crave it even more during this time of the year. (And technically this one falls more to the side of Creole since I included tomatoes.) Happy Mardi Gras!
I do love a good sheet pan dish, but I never considered making jambalaya this way. It’s a stroke of genius, David! We need this on our table tomorrow for Fat Tuesday!
Yes! Happy Mardi Gras, Marissa. 🙂 This sheet pan jambalaya is delicious – seriously my go-to way for making jambalaya from now on. I feel like I’m cheating saying that, but it’s true!
I love sheet pan dinners. This sheet pan jambalaya looks wonderful.
Thanks so much, Dawn!
What a perfect Mardi Gras recipe! LOVE this! Such a great idea to make jambalaya a sheet pan meal. Recipes like your Sheet Pan Jambalya that have wonderfully developed flavors, but can easily be made on a weeknight, are the BEST. This is definitely cooking with gas! 😃 (Your grandma sounds like a super fun lady!)
Exactly! Not only is this recipe perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras, but it’s also just a downright easy recipe to make on busy weeknights. There is so much flavor here…and it’s surprisingly easy thanks to the sheet pan twist. Thanks so much, Shannon!
So timely! My 16-yr-old son recently tried Jambalaya for the first time while he was out and announced he’s a big fan. And this sheet pan version is a brilliant idea, David. 🙂 ~Valentina
Well isn’t that perfect! Jambalaya is definitely a favorite around our house, and I’ve gotta say that the sheet pan angle is pretty darn cool. It’s our go-to way to make jambalaya now!
I totally love this idea, David! Beautiful and tasty dish! And anything cooked (mostly) on a sheet pan has my name all over it!
This one is so easy and so tasty, Laura! Perfect for carnival season…and the rest of the year, too!