Gluten-Free Jambalaya for the Soul [Recipe]

As a Celiac, having to be gluten-free has been challenging at times. But one of the unexpected difficulties has been how it affects those around me. In order to be truly gluten free I have to remove possible contaminants. It has been an adjustment for my family to have separate peanut butter containers, toasters, and pastas.

My husband does a lot of cooking for our family and coming up with gluten-free meals that taste good and aren’t complicated has been a challenge. So whenever he can easily make a delicious meal gluten-free, he feels like he’s hit the jackpot.

One such meal is gluten-free jambalaya. If you’re not familiar with jambalaya, it’s a hearty Cajun dish that’s delicious comfort food. Thankfully, it’s a dish that’s easy to make gluten free. And this gluten-free jambalaya recipe is much quicker to prepare than other recipes.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 1 lb andouille sausage, cut into thin rounds
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 3½ cups chicken broth
• 1½ cups long grain white rice, uncooked
• 2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Topping: shredded cheese

Preparation

1. In a stock pot, sauté chicken and sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked through. Sausage should begin to brown. Remove the meat and set aside.
2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot and sauté the red and green bell peppers, celery, jalapeno, and garlic for about 4 minutes, until peppers are slightly softened.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper, and the cooked chicken and sausage. Stir well and cook until the mixture boils.
4. Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 25-30 minutes. The dish is done when the rice is cooked.
   TIP: Stir every 5 or so minutes to prevent sticking and burning.
5. Add extra Cajun seasoning, if desired, and top with shredded cheese.

This jambalaya is super easy and quick to prepare. And my kids love it! My four-year-old can be rather picky at dinner, and she asked for four helpings of this dish!

Tips for Keeping It Gluten Free

This dish lends itself well to being gluten free, but there are a couple things to keep an eye out for:

• Double check the sausage to make sure it’s gluten free and there aren’t any sneaky flour additives.
• Use a gluten-free chicken broth. I use gluten-free chicken bouillon to prepare my broth.

Sometimes it can be a challenge to make meals gluten free, but when dishes come along that are easy to adapt or that are naturally gluten free—and yummy—make sure to add these to your recipe book. This jambalaya is definitely a keeper.

Print Recipe

Gluten-Free Jambalaya

Enjoy Southern comfort food at its finest with this gluten-free jambalaya recipe that's delicious and quick to prepare.

Course: Main Course

Keyword: Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces
• 1 lb andouille sausage cut into thin rounds
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 celery ribs diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and diced
• 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 3½ cups chicken broth
• 1½ cups long grain white rice uncooked
• 2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Topping: shredded cheese

Instructions

• In a stock pot, sauté chicken and sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked through. Sausage should begin to brown. Remove the meat and set aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot and sauté the red and green bell peppers, celery, jalapeno, and garlic for about 4 minutes, until peppers are slightly softened.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper, and the cooked chicken and sausage. Stir well and cook until the mixture boils.
• Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 25-30 minutes. The dish is done when the rice is cooked.
• TIP: Stir every 5 or so minutes to prevent sticking and burning.
• Add extra Cajun seasoning, if desired, and top with shredded cheese.