Pressure Cooker Jambalaya with chicken and sausage is a hearty rice dish that’s full of Cajun flavor. You’ll love this easy to make classic from the Bayou.
Instant Pot jambalaya brings the flavor and aroma of Louisiana cooking to your kitchen.
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Although I didn’t grow up in Louisiana, I did grow up in the south where one of my first experiences with Cajun flavors came from the boiled peanuts that were sold in roadside stands near my homes in Florida and South Carolina.
My Instant Pot Cajun Boiled Peanuts recipe brought me back to those delicious flavors I loved as a child and left me craving that warm spice that is the epitome of Cajun food.
Louisiana’s Cajun influence in cooking and cuisine can be found across the southern states. Savory dishes piled with rice, chicken and andouille sausage are simple yet filling.
Recipes like gumbo, paella, and jambalaya are comforting and uniting and make the perfect homecooked meal.
Instant Pot Jambalaya with chicken and sausage is so easy to make, and the flavor is bold and warm.
It dresses up Instant Pot white rice with some tasty add-ins, making a delicious dinner.
It’s the perfect recipe for anytime but when you enjoy it on a cold, rainy day gives you a feeling similar to being wrapped in a bear hug by your grandmother.
Pressure cooker jambalaya is honest to goodness comfort food, and you’ll love how easy it is to make!
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes for Dinner:
What Is Jambalaya?
Jambalaya is a tasty one-pot Cajun rice dish that’s well known in Louisiana and across the southern United States.
Jambalaya is always made with rice, but often the protein varies depending on preference. Sausage, chicken, or shrimp are commonly used.
The “Holy Trinty” of vegetables, which includes onion, bell pepper and celery, adds flavor to the dish and is a nod to Louisiana’s Catholic heritage.
This Instant Pot Jambalaya is savory and slightly spicy. If you prefer a milder dish you can adjust the spice level by choosing a mild sausage and decreasing the amount of Cajun seasoning you use.
How to Make Instant Pot Jambalaya
It’s really easy to make pressure cooker jambalaya.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Olive Oil
- Chicken Breasts
- Low-sodium Chicken Broth
- Cajun-style Andouille Sausage
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Celery
- Garlic
- Diced Tomatoes
- White Rice
- Ground Thyme
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Basil
- Bay Leaves
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cajun Seasoning Blend
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Brown the chicken. First, you’ll heat olive oil in the insert of the Instant Pot (or Ninja Foodi or other electric pressure cooker) and saute the chicken until it is golden in color. It does not need to be cooked all the way through.
Deglaze the pan. Next, you’ll pour in the chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add ingredients and cool. Then, you’ll add all of the remaining ingredients making sure the rice is completely submerged under the liquid. Close and seal the lid and cook at high pressure for 4 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Serve. Last, you’ll remove the bay leaf, fluff the rice and serve, adding additional Cajun seasoning to taste.
Notes and Adaptations:
- The sausage adds a good deal of flavor to this jambalaya, so I recommend starting with just 1 1/2 tsp of Cajun seasoning to start. If needed, you can add more to taste after pressure cooking.
- If you can’t find andouille sausage, you can always use kielbasa or other smoked sausage.
Recommended Equipment:
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Instant Pot Jambalaya with Chicken and Sausage
Instant Pot jambalaya is a Cajun-inspired classic loaded with chicken and sausage, that cooks quickly in your pressure cooker, for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 12-ounce Cajun-style andouille sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 ½ cups white rice
- 1/2 tsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning blend, plus more to taste if desired
Instructions
- Add olive oil to the insert pot of the Instant Pot and use the Saute function to heat the oil. Once hot, add the chicken breast pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the outside of the chicken pieces are lightly browned (it doesn't need to be cooked all the way through)..
- Press Cancel to turn off the Saute function. Add chicken broth to the insert pot, using a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (this is important in order to avoid the Burn error).
- Add all remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well (the rice should be submerged).
- Close the lid and set the vent to the sealed position. Select a cook time of 4 minutes at high pressure.
- When the cook time is complete, allow a 10-minute natural release of pressure, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure (you can also allow a full natural release if preferred).
- Fluff the rice with a fork and remove the bay leaves. Add more Cajun seasoning to taste, if desired.
Notes
The sausage adds a good deal of flavor to this jambalaya, so I recommend starting with just 1 1/2 tsp of Cajun seasoning to start. If needed, you can add more to taste after pressure cooking.
If you can't find andouille sausage, you can always use kielbasa or other smoked sausage.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 439Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 854mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 34g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
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