The Instant Pot obsession has helped busy cooks everywhere streamline recipes, making them faster, easier, and better tasting. Since it’s an absolute must to serve Cajun food on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), I decided to adapt one of my favorite slow cooker recipes for Jambalaya to the Instant Pot. It not only took less time to make (under 30 minutes start to finish), but it was absolutely perfect. I will never prepare jambalaya any other way. The following Instant Pot Jambalaya is full of andouille sausage, spicy chicken breast chunks, and plenty of shrimp. It was a hit with all of the regular Hancock tasters, including Mr. Picky, and one friend said it was the best jambalaya he’d ever tasted.

This is an authentic recipe, and uses the “Cajun Trinity” (green pepper, onions, and celery), along with plenty of garlic, thyme, and tomatoes. It also has lots of spice, which can be adjusted according to taste. Instant Pot Jambalaya has become a favorite at our home, and hopefully it will become a favorite at your home, too.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, any electric pressure cooker will do. Hopefully, you have been one of the millions of lucky recipients (according to Amazon, Instant Pots were in the top 10 Christmas gifts for 2017) of a new Instant Pot or similar appliance. I have tried this recipe in an older Nesco 3 in 1 cooker (the precursor to the modern Instant Pots), and a 5 quart electric pressure cooker with equally good results. You can also use a slow cooker, but it will take several hours.

Serve this with crusty French bread. King Cake makes a great dessert, or you can serve any of the luscious Cajun desserts featured on the Desserts site.

8 Servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6-8 ounces andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of any fat, blood, etc., cut into 1/2" chunks

1 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped
1 green pepper, cored and diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (your favorite brand)
1 teaspoon thyme

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomatoes and green chilies
1 1/2 cups Converted Rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 pound raw shrimp, shelled, deveined, and tails removed

1. Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting.
2. Heat the vegetable oil and add the Andouille Sausage; brown the sausage.
3. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.
4. Add the chicken to the pot and quickly brown (it shouldn’t be cooked through); remove from the pot and set aside.
5. Add the onions, celery, green pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and thyme; stir until the vegetables are softened.
6. Add the tomatoes, tomatoes and green chilies, rice, and chicken broth; stir in the sausage.
7. Cover the Instant Pot, set the valve to Sealing, and set to Manual for 8 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, rinse the shrimp in a strainer, and if it is frozen, thaw under cold running water.
9. When the cycle is finished, release the pressure, open the lid, and stir in the chicken and shrimp.
10. Cover and let sit 5-10 minutes; the chicken will finish cooking and the shrimp will cook through from the heat of the rice.
11. Remove the lid, stir well, and serve.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 431 Calories from Fat 107
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 25% Protein 31% Carb. 45%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 12 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 161 mg
Sodium 705 mg
Total Carbohydrate 48 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 33 g

Vitamin A 25% Vitamin C 38% Calcium 0% Iron 28%