Healthy Jambalaya Recipe

May 1, 2011March 6, 2024

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This healthy jambalaya recipe is a wonderfully cleaned-up version of this southern favorite.

I looked at many, many Jambalaya recipes before I finally formulated this one. What I found was that everyone and their mother has their own version of this dish. There really is no “typical” way of making Jambalaya. It’s one of those “one-pot wonders” that seems to turn out great no matter what you throw into it.

A close up shot of this Clean Eating Jambalaya in a white bowl. You see a bit of the meat and a lot of the rice.

What I also found out, was that most people who eat Jambalaya or grew up with it, have a very strong opinion about how it should be prepared. If it’s not made the way they are used to, then it’s just not good Jambalaya.

So I think you can understand the pressure I was under with this recipe and why I did so much research! One of the things I was concerned about was substituting brown rice for the typical white. White rice imparts a much different flavor from brown rice. So I knew this dish had to be packed with some hefty flavor in order to compete.

Now I’m not claiming that this Jambalaya is better tasting than your mother’s, your sisters, or your second cousin on your father’s uncle’s side. But I am going to say that it’s a recipe I’m rather proud to share with you.

It’s the first time I’ve ever made Jambalaya (or eaten it for that matter – California girl, remember?), and I can now understand what all the fuss is about.

More Southern Recipes

Healthy Jambalaya Recipe Card

Adapted from a recipe from AllRecipes which is no longer on their site.

Healthy Jambalaya

This delicious southern classic gets a whole-food upgrade!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Southern

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 10

Total Time: 1 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 488kcal

Ingredients

2 lb. clean sausage (sliced – you can sub with shrimp or extra chicken if you can’t find clean sausage)
2 lb. chicken breast (raw – cut into small pieces about 1/2 inch cubed)
4 cups red onions (chopped)
1 tbsp. olive oil (chopped)
3 cups green bell peppers (chopped)
3 cups red bell pepper (chopped)
3 cups celery stalks (sliced thin)
15 oz. can tomato sauce (no sugar added)
¼ tsp. cayenne
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried thyme
3 cups brown rice (dry)
3 cups chicken broth ( low sodium is best – keep some extra on reserve just in case you need extra during cooking.)

Instructions

In a large pot, sauté the onions, bell peppers and celery in the olive oil.
Add the chicken and sausage to the pot and cook for about 3-5 minutes, just to give it a head start.
Add everything else, and cook over medium heat until the rice is cooked through (about an hour, give or take). Watch the post as time goes on. You may need to add some extra broth if things get too dry. Stir often to avoid burning on the bottom of the pot.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

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Author: Tiffany McCauley

Title: Food and Travel Journalist

Expertise: Food, cooking, travel

Bio:

Tiffany McCauley is a nationally syndicated journalist and an award-winning cookbook author and food blogger. She has been featured on MSN, Huffington Post, Country Living Magazine, HealthLine, Redbook, and many more. Her food specialty is healthy comfort food recipes.