Cajun Jambalaya Creamy Pasta

Pasta dishes are always a welcome sight in the SFFS house. This particular one was REALLY a hit. Not only was it delicious...but it basically is a one-pot wonder. Considering the list of ingredients, you wouldn’t think you could do it...but you can! It’s so yummy and easy. A little slicing and dicing and you’ve got dinner!

Cajun Jambalaya Creamy Pasta

1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes ~ drained, liquid reserved

1 red bell pepper ~ diced

1 yellow bell pepper ~ diced

1 medium onion ~ diced

1 1-pound package kielbasa ~ cut into “coins”

2 chicken breasts ~ cut into bite size pieces

1 28-ounce can petite diced tomaotes ~ drained, liquid reserved

2 - 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

4 cups baby spinach

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces pasta ~ penne, rigatoni, etc.

2 cups water

1 cup chicken stock

1 pound uncooked, tail-off shrimp (optional)

In a large dutch oven, saute the peppers and onion in a little olive oil until soft.

Add the chicken and kielbasa and cook for a few more minutes.

Stir in the Cajun seasoning.

Add the chopped tomatoes and stir.

Add the liquid from the tomatoes, the water and the chicken stock.

Stir in the pasta.

Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or until pasta is done.

Add the spinach and cream (and shrimp, if using) and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes until spinach is wilted (and shrimp is cooked through).

Here we go!

Saute the onion and bell peppers.

Add the sliced kielbasa 

and the diced chicken.

Cook the meat for a bit then add 

the cajun seasoning.

Add the drained, chopped 

tomatoes and stir.

Then the water, juice from the drained tomatoes and the chicken broth.

Then add the pasta and cook until done.

Pour in the cream and the shrimp 

if you're using that.

Don't forget the spinach!!!!

Give it all a big stir and 

you're ready to go!

Serve with some crusty french bread!!! Delish!

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Jambalaya is so good....I love it. I think when you add smoked sausage or kielbasa to a dish it just flavors the whole thing. I love that stuff. Now if I wasn't living with a bunch of seafood haters, I would have added some shrimp to this but since no one likes it except me, I left it out. But if you have a NORMAL family, then by all means, add some shrimp about the last 30 minutes of cook time. Anyway...this is some good stuff right here. And making it your slow cooker makes it easy-peasy. Just throw everything in except the rice and give it stir or two during cooking! Serving it with some crusty bread just tops it off.

Slow Cooker Jambalaya



1 pound chicken boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 pound smoked sausage ~ cut into 1/4 inch coins

2 cups chicken stock
1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 onion ~ diced
1 green bell pepper ~ diced
3 stalks of celery ~ chopped
4 garlic cloves ~ minced
3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 cup rice ~ cooked on the stove top according to package directions

Place chicken and sausage into the bottom of the crock pot.

Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery.

Mix remaining ingredients together EXCEPT THE RICE, and pour over the entire mixture. Stir gently.

Cook on high for 4 - 6 hours until chicken is done.

Gently shred the chicken.

Stir in the cooked rice and serve!

 

Let's go!

 

Place the chicken and sausage 

in the bottom of the crock pot.

 

Add the chopped veggies.

 

Stir together the tomatoes, the 

tomato paste and the rest of the 

ingredients EXCEPT THE RICE 

in a medium bowl.

 

Then pour over the stuff 

in the crock pot. Gently stir.

 

Allow to cook then stir in 

the cooked rice and serve!

 

Delicious!

Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

On  New Years Day I made a big ole' batch of jambalaya and boy, was it ever good! We got so carried away with wanting to eat it that I didn't get all the pictures I wanted. With a houseful of people it's kind of difficult to make sure I stay on task with my recipes. But..I think you will get the idea with the pictures I DID get as to how tasty and wonderful this dish is. If you've never made jambalaya or think you don't like it....think again! This dish is so easy to make and so good! There's an option to add shrimp if that floats your boat....or leave it out if you want. It's great for company....different and delicious!

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya



2 tablespoons olive oil
8 chicken thighs – skin on, bone in
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped green peppers
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 pounds Kielbasa – or other fully cooked smoked sausage – cut into ½-thick slices
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups long-grain white rice

6 cups low salt chicken broth

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Brown chicken on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter. Add chopped onion, green peppers, parsley and garlic to pot. Sauté until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, bay leaves, chili powder, thyme, cayenne pepper and cloves. Sauté until spices are fragrant and flavors blend, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat.

Pour broth over rice mixture in pot. Add chicken and press to submerge on liquid. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 30 – 40 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt, pepper and more cayenne pepper if desired. Serve hot with crusty French bread. Serves 8.

Optional add-in: 1 pound raw shrimp, deveined and peeled. Add shrimp the last 10-15 minutes of cooking until no longer pink.


 
Okay...so here's the picture where 
I left out some ingredients....but they're in there.....
 
Browning the chicken...

 
Saute the onion/pepper stuff...

 
Cut the sausage into 1/2 thick slices....

 
....then add it to the onion mixture 
along with the herbs and spices.

 
Add the rice and stir to coat.

 
Then add the chicken broth. The 
chicken is in here...just let it simmer 
for a while then dish it up and chow down!