Healthy Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya Recipe

This jambalaya recipe is a real crowd pleaser that’s easy to make and surprisingly healthy. Jambalaya is a rice casserole with the classic Louisiana flavors from common Creole spices (red and black pepper, oregano, and thyme), and vegetables (onions, celery, bell peppers, and tomatoes). I’ve made a few simple swaps to cut down on saturated fat and boost fiber, so you can enjoy this hearty dish guilt-free!

Making Great Tasting Healthy Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a classic dish from Louisiana, that’s commonly made from rice, vegetables (onions, celery, bell peppers), and often chicken, seafood (shrimp, oysters, or crab) and smoked meat (sausage or ham). It’s a fairly healthy combination. The biggest problem smoked meat.

Using Olive Oil instead of lard or other fats is a good start.

Replacing white rice with brown rice or quinoa increases the fiber without effecting the flavor very much. I recommend basmati or other long grain rice for all creole/cajun recipes. Short grain, sticky rices, just don’t seem right.

For flavor, canned San Marzano or other Italian tomatoes have much more flavor and are more like Creole tomatoes than others.

Smoked Meat

Smoked meat is an important component of most jambalayas, and the biggest nutrition problem because they are loaded with salt and saturated fats. I really like sausage in jambalaya and I recommend chicken sausage as a low fat option. Make sure to check the label because some chicken sausage has nearly as much saturated fat as pork sausage.

If you don’t care about sausage, smoked turkey and fish are good options. And, since there’s less than an ounce of smoked meat per serving, lean ham such as Cure 81 (2 grams saturated fat) is an option.

I’ve tried making a tofu sausage marinated in adobo sauce. It had really good flavor, but I didn’t like the texture. I plan on trying seasoned mushrooms in the future.

Leave a comment if you have any suggestions.

Nutrition & Ingredients

This recipe is high in lean protein and fiber, and rich in vitamins, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.

• Chicken–an excellent source of lean protein, supporting muscle growth and satiety.
• Shrimp–high in protein, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids, promoting brain and heart health.
• Smoked Chicken Sausage–adds traditional smokey flavor while keeping saturated fat low.
• Brown Rice–adds fiber that promotes gut health and blood sugar stability.
• Vegetables (onion, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes)–contribute to fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants lycopene, and sulfur compounds
• Olive Oil–replaces saturated fats with healthy monounsaturated fats.

Each serving provides approximately:

• Protein 33g
• Fat 17g
  • Monounsaturated 8g
  • Polyunsaturated 4g
  • Saturated 3g
  • Trans 0
• Carbohydrates 30g
  • Dietary Fiber 4g
  • Sugar 4g
• Calories 389

Instructions

Gather chicken breast, shrimp and oysters (optional), smoked chicken sausage and/or smoked turkey, onion, celery, green pepper, green onion, fresh garlic
tomato canned or fresh, tomato sauce, long grain brown rice, olive oil bay leaves, dried oregano leaves, dried thyme leaves, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.

Prepare Shrimp & Stock

Peal and devein 1 pound shrimp.

Place the shells in a large sauce pan with 4 cup water and vegetable trimmings. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then cover and reduce to a simmer.

Prepare Vegetables

Chop 1½ cups yellow onion, 1 cup celery, ¾ cup green pepper, ½ cup green onion and 1½ teaspoon garlic. You put the onions, celery and green pepper in a bowl if you need the space. Keep the garlic and green onions separate. You can add the trimmings to the shrimp stock if you didn’t have any.

Prepare Seasoning Mix

In a small bowl combine 1¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, 1½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 3 bay leaves. Add the chopped garlic.

Prepare Meat

Cut 1 pound chicken and 6 ounces sausage (or other smoked meat) into bite-sized pieces.

Sauté

Pre-heat oven to 350℉

Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add smoked meat and sauté until browned. Stirring frequently.

Add onions, celery and green peppers. Sauté until tender. Stirring occasionally.

Add chicken, garlic and seasoning mix. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan constantly.

Add 1 can 14.5oz tomato and 1 can 8oz tomato sauce. I recommend San Marzano, or other Italian tomatoes because they are much more flavorful like Creole tomatoes.

Cook just until the chicken is tender (about 8 minutes).

Strain shrimp stock. Add 2¼ cup stock to the pan. Add more water if you are low. Bring to a boil.

Stir in green onions and boil for 2 minutes.

Rinse 2 cup brown rice and add it the the pan. Add shrimp, stir well. Remove from heat.

Bake

Transfer into a 9×13 baking pan. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350℉ for 30 minutes until the rice is tender, but firm. Add stock or water if it looks like it’s drying out. If the rice is tender, but the liquid isn’t completely absorbed, remove the foil and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Serve

Remove from oven. Remove bay leaves. Serve.