This Chicken and Sausage Penne Jambalaya is my delicious personal take on a classic recipe, loaded with chicken and Italian sausage that will be ready in only 30 minutes!
Chicken And Sausage Penne Jambalaya
One of my favorite dishes to order whenever I go out to a restaurant is jambalaya. I used to only ever order it out because I thought it would be complicated to make, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! This recipe is so simple and tasty to whip up and the best part is it’ll be on your table in only 30 minutes.
This is a perfect dish to make at home after a busy day at work, because it’s a no fuss recipe, all done in one skillet.
Jambalaya is a Louisiana origin dish with lots of Spanish and French influence. It consists mainly of meat and vegetables mixed with rice. Traditionally, this dish always includes sausage of some sort such as andouille, along with other meat or seafood.
One bite of this super easy jambalaya and you’ll forget about ever ordering it out again. If you want to kick this recipe up a notch, use spicy Italian sausages, after all, jambalaya is meant to be spicy. Some good Italian sausages will really take this jambalaya over the top.
Ingredients In Chicken And Sausage Penne Jambalaya
We’ve got a bit of a long ingredient list here, but it is all crucial for developing that deep interesting flavor that we expect in a jambalaya. Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Chicken – I used breast for this recipe but thighs would work just as well.
- Seasoning – Salt, pepper and chili powder are all we’re going to need.
- Sausage – I’ve made this dish with Italian sausage, andouille sausage or any smoked sausages but feel free to try others such as chorizo, andouille, or even kielbasa.
- Aromatics – Fresh onion and garlic are our aromatics for this dish. If minced is all you have on hand just keep in mind that 1 1/2 teaspoons is equivalent to one fresh clove.
- Veggies – Bell pepper, any color you please, and canned diced tomatoes.
- Broth – Low sodium chicken broth is best as we want to control our sodium content.
- Pasta – I used penne as we want something that really hold onto our sauce but any larger shaped pasta will do. If you’re not feeling pasta this dish is beautiful served over rice.
- Hot sauce – Feel free to use your favorite! If you’re scared of the heat opt out of using any.
- Garnish – Fresh sliced green onion and cilantro to sprinkle liberally on top!
How To Make Chicken And Sausage Penne Jambalaya
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Prepare the chicken: Sprinkle the seasonings over your chicken and rub it in. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and sausage to the skillet and cook for 6 minutes just until the chicken and sausage start to brown.
- Saute the sauteables: Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Finish the dish: Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, penne and hot sauce to the skillet; stir well. Cook for up to 15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Garnish with green onion and cilantro and serve hot!
What Else Can I Use In This Jambalaya?
MEATS
Chicken and sausage are a staple in traditional recipes, but so is shrimp! Feel free to add as much shrimp as you like to this dish, tails on, to really punch up this dish.
VEGGIES
The traditional recipe just calls for onion, celery, bell pepper, and in some cases tomato. But seeing as this is a one pot dish feel free to add any veggies you’d like! Carrots, diced potatoes, and zucchini are all delectable additions.
Tips For Making The Best Jambalaya
- This dish is amazing served over rice if you don’t have pasta on hand!
- Now there are 2 types of Jambalaya and those types are creole or cajun. My version today is Creole as it uses tomatoes, but you can axe this ingredient for a Cajun dish.
- If you’d like to make your own creole spice blend just mix: garlic & onion powder, paprika, cayenne, dried oregano, thyme, and basil. It’ll send this recipe to the moon!
Different Sausages To Use For Jambalaya
- Jambalaya is great with a Mexican chorizo sausage.
- Andouille sausage which is a smoked sausage made from pork.
- You can also use Kielbasa which is a Polish sausage. It’s flavoured with caraway seeds and made with pork. It’s delicious!
Storing Leftover Jambalaya
This recipe will last well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 – 4 days. If you’d like to freeze this recipe you may want to only make the sauce and store for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge over night and make the pasta fresh as needed.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 oz chicken breast (1 breast) skinless boneless, cut small pieces
- 1/2 tsp chili powder mild
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 links Italian sausage cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz diced tomatoes (1 can) juice included
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 8 oz penne uncooked
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 green onions chopped
- 4 sprigs cilantro chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Season the chicken with chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and sausage to the skillet and cook for 6 minutes just until the chicken and sausage start to brown.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, penne and hot sauce to the skillet; stir well.
- Cook for 15 minutes until the penne is al dente.
- Garnish with green onions and cilantro
RECIPE NOTES
Feel free to substitute the Italian sausage with kielbasa, chorizo or smoked sausage.
If you don’t like cilantro then you can substitute with parsley for garnish.
This recipe will last well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 – 4 days. If you’d like to freeze this recipe you may want to only make the sauce and store for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge over night and make the pasta fresh as needed.