Kid-Friendly One-Pot Jambalaya

This kid-friendly one-pot Jambalaya dinner is so delicious and easy to make, you’ll want to add it to your regular menu rotation. With shrimp, ground sausage, and chicken, this version is tweaked to be a little more kid-friendly and ready in 30 minutes or less!

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Jambalaya is one of those spicy dishes adults tend to love, but it’s often a bit too much for kids. But I LOVE shrimp, and I’m always up for trying any dishes with shrimp in it. So I decided to tone down this Creole dinner, so my kids would be okay with it.

This is my “toned-down” Jambalaya recipe, but it can be easily tweaked to be more or less spicy to your own preference.

I love this flavorful dinner because not only is it delicious, but it’s also quick and easy to make. From start to finish, this one-pot dinner shouldn’t take you any longer than 30 minutes, 20 if you’re fast! And because it’s one-pot, it’s easy to clean up too.

Yes, please!

This One-Pot Jambalaya recipe makes a lot too so it’s perfect for leftovers the next night.

I use ground sausage in this recipe compared to the normal sausage links, because I prefer Shady Brook Farms turkey sausage (you may know it as Honeysuckle White turkey in your part of the country.) It’s also not quite as spicy as the common andouille sausage, so it’s more kid-friendly.

My family is gluten-free and we also try to avoid a lot of the common processed food additives, like corn syrup, dyes, MSG, nitrates/nitrites, etc.

Since gradually making these changes a few years ago, we’ve all been healthier. My middle son’s asthma and allergies have all but disappeared, I’ve made huge strides in healing my thyroid, and my oldest son who has high functioning autism is like a different kid.

One way I support my family’s health is by choosing meat from Shady Brook Farms / Honeysuckle White. With no growth-promoting antibiotics or hormones or steroids, they have a nice variety of products, including ground turkey, turkey cutlets, whole turkey, turkey patties, sausage, and more.

Their turkeys are also raised by independent family farmers. I was lucky enough to visit one of their family farms a couple years ago in Virginia and I was impressed with the care and love that went into those (not-for-long) little turkeys. (I have backyard chickens myself, so that’s saying something.) 

Beyond that, Shady Brook Farms / Honeysuckle White turkey is affordable and a great in between for families like my own who can’t afford a 100% organic diet, but want something better for their families than the normal meat from the grocery store.

Unlike many other brands, Shady Brook Farms turkey sausage does not contain nitrates or nitrites. And compared to other brands, it’s very affordable. Yes, please!

Not to mention, Shady Brook Farms turkey is absolutely delicious! We eat Shady Brook Farms multiple times a week, whether it’s my One-Pot Turkey Enchilada Casserole or grilling up some tasty Teriyaki Turkey Burgers. And sausage on Saturday mornings is always a favorite.

But anyways, I’m getting away from myself.

I usually use Hot Italian sausage for this One-Pot Jambalaya recipe, but the Sweet Italian is also delicious.

Kid-Friendly One-Pot Jambalaya

Cook 1.25 lb of turkey sausage over medium high heat.

Chop up the turkey sausage like ground beef and add about 1 lb of turkey cutlets or chicken breast, cut into small pieces or strips. Cook and stir until mostly cooked through.

While the meat is cooking, chop up 2 stalks celery, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 onion. (Or use frozen onion for faster prep time.) Mince 2 garlic cloves.

Add 1 cup instant or quick-cooking rice, 1.5 cups chicken broth, the celery, red pepper, diced onion, garlic, and 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes. 

Stir well and add the spices – 1-3 tsp (your preference) cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 Tbsp cumin, 2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 3 Tbsp coconut aminos. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the rice and vegetables are cooked through. Add 1.5 lb cooked, deveined with tails removed shrimp and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Serve your One-Pot Jambalaya dinner and enjoy!

Kid-Friendly One-Pot Jambalaya

Print Recipe

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• Author: Erika Bragdon
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: serves 6

Ingredients

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• 1.25 lb hot Italian turkey sausage
• 3 turkey cutlets or chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup instant rice “>instant or quick-cooking rice*
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup onion, diced (use frozen for faster prep)
• 1 14.oz can diced tomatoes
• 1–3 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to your taste)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 Tbsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1.5 lb cooked shrimp, deveined with tails removed

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Instructions

1. Cook the turkey sausage over medium-high heat. Chop up the turkey sausage like ground beef and add the turkey cutlets or chicken breast, cut into small pieces or strips. Cook and stir until mostly cooked through.
2. While the meat is cooking, chop up the celery, red bell pepper, onion, and mince the garlic.
3. Add the rice, chicken broth, celery, red pepper, diced onion, garlic, and can of diced tomatoes to the sausage and chicken. Stir well and add the cajun seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and coconut aminos.
4. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the rice and vegetables are cooked through. Add the pre-cooked shrimp and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Notes: You can use regular rice, but your cook time will increase. Instant or quick-cooking rice makes this dinner faster.