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Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe - Creole Jambalaya

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Instant Pot Jambalaya is rich, flavorful, and filling. This chicken and rice Instant Pot recipe is a breeze to make! In my household, we call the Instant Pot a "game-changer." Sausage jambalaya never tasted so good.

I was excited to try the Instant Pot when I first bought it but nervous at the same time. It sat in the box for a few months. In addition to my nerves, I was a little skeptical that the Instant Pot would live up to the hype. But it did.

If you own an Instant Pot, you probably know what I'm going to say next: it has been AMAZING.

Everything we cook in it, like this Instant Pot Jambalaya, comes out perfectly and is so easy to make. The one accessory I've purchased that has been a game-changer is a ceramic non-stick inner pot. It makes clean-up a breeze, and I no longer worry about stuck-on food.

The Instant Pot makes meal prep a breeze when short on time. Whether I'm whipping up Instant Pot Irish Beef Stew or making Hard-Boiled Eggs, pressure cooker recipes make cooking and meal prep easier.

instant pot jambalaya in white bowl

New to cooking with a pressure cooker? Try out the Be the Boss of Your Instant Pot Video Course! It'll help take the pressure off and ease you into cooking with your Instant Pot.

Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Jambalaya

  • Oil
  • Kielbasa (can use andouille sausage for jambalaya as well)
  • Shrimp
  • Chicken
  • Onion
  • Pepper
  • Salt
  • Crushed Tomatoes
  • Chicken Broth
  • Rice

Ninja Foodi Rice Recipe

This is a wonderful Ninja Foodi rice recipe too--if that is the pressure cooker you like to use. This rice, in Ninja Foodi cooks just as nicely as it does in the Instant Pot. It will soak up all the sauce, flavors of chicken, sausage, and shrimp. Cooking rice in Ninja Foodi is one of my favorites. I have both pressure cookers, so I often use both to cook different recipes at the same time.

Use the pressure cooker lid to make this Ninja Foodi Jambalaya. Also, try this Ninja Foodi chicken and rice recipe as well. And, while you're at it, my Meatloaf in Ninja Foodi is one of our most popular recipes for a reason!

Best Rice To Use For Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice

For this recipe, I recommend long grain rice in Instant Pot. You will want the same for cooking rice in Ninja Foodi.

Shorter grain rice can clump and kind of mush up, and you are not able to use Instant Rice in the pressure cooker. It can't tolerate the high pressure.

Cooking rice in Ninja Foodi and Pressure Cookers is easy, you just need enough liquid, the right rice, and you have fluffy perfect rice every single time. I like to use a rice paddle to fluff up the rice once it's done cooking. If you make rice a lot, it is definitely worth it!

Why You Should Make Instant Pot Jambalaya

Jambalaya is southern comfort food at its finest. It's rich, flavorful, filling, and very healthy.

From Louisiana, Jambalaya has both French and Spanish influence. It consists of meat, vegetables, and rice. It's a rather simple mixture, which is why I think of jambalaya as just good, wholesome food.

The great thing about Jambalaya, especially this Instant Pot Jambalaya, is it's easy to make.

There are only a few quick steps, and the process is made even easier by using an Instant Pot. I'm convinced that pretty much everything is easier in the Instant Pot!

Creole vs. Cajun Jambalaya

There are two main types of jambalaya: Creole and Cajun. Although the cooking methods differ, one main difference is that Cajun jambalaya does not include tomatoes, but Creole jambalaya does.

This recipe for Instant Pot Jambalaya recipe contains crushed tomatoes and Creole seasoning. That makes it a Creole jambalaya recipe.

This is a Sausage, Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya Recipe

As I mentioned, there are three main components to jambalaya: meat, vegetables, and rice. Both the meat and vegetable component vary depending on the recipe.

This recipe is a sausage, shrimp and chicken Jambalaya. Some people use bacon, pork, duck, beef... the list goes on.

And for a vegetarian version of Jambalaya, tofu can be used.

What Accessories Should I Buy for My Instant Pot

There are several Instant Pot accessories that are helpful to have on hand.

Here's my tip: buy a second inner cooking pot. A ceramic non-stick inner pot can be a game-changer because not only does it allow you to have an extra pot to cook with, but it cleans up very easily.

If you use your pressure cooker on a regular basis, it is easy to set one inner pot to the side with a lid on it. Then, you can use a second inner pot and cook a side dish or dessert.

The inner pot can be removed (carefully, while wearing an oven mitt), put aside, and replaced with another inner pot. New inner pot, new recipe!

Buying a second inner pot has made the Instant Pot an even more efficient kitchen appliance.

  • Instant Pot Inner Pot - I like to have an extra inner pot available because of how much cooking I do in my Instant Pot. It comes in really handy when I want to put a lid on the inner pot and refrigerate the leftovers, or mix up ingredients the night before to save time at the end of the day.
  • Silicone Lid for Instant Pot- I'm not sure how I lived without this one. Having a silicone lid for my Instant Pot has made life so much easier. It is perfect for adding ingredients a day or two ahead of time.
  • 101 Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners-  If you are new to pressure cooking, this is a great ebook to get you started with basic recipes you will use over and over again.

How to Make Instant Pot Jambalaya

It is easy to love this recipe for a few reasons. Instant Pot Jambalaya reminds me of Mardi Gras, it only takes about 15 minutes of hands on time to make, and it tastes amazing!

The first step to making this delicious Creole Jambalaya in the Instant Pot is to brown the chicken with the vegetable oil using the saute setting. It offers a nice medium-high heat that provides the perfect temperature for browning poultry.

You can see the stuck-on food in these photos, which is why I prefer to use my ceramic non-stick inner pot to cook this recipe now that I have one. If you don't have one, just make sure that you deglaze the inner pot really well. That is an important step with every Instant Pot recipe that has a saute step prior to the pressure cooking step.

Next, remove the chicken and then saute the onions, garlic, and peppers until just opaque. Pro-tip: use a garlic press to press the garlic instead of mincing the garlic for this or other recipes. It's a huge time saver because you don't have to worry about peeling or mincing up the garlic into tiny pieces.

Add the chicken back in with the onions. Then, add in the creole seasoning and salt and pepper.

And finally, it's time to add in rice, chicken stock and crushed tomatoes.

Cook using the rice setting on your Instant Pot for 12 minutes. Use a quick release and open up your Instant Pot.

Add in sausage. Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes and then use either the slow or quick release.

Open up the Instant Pot and make sure the rice is tender.

Add the shrimp and put the Instant Pot glass lid on the inner pot. Let the shrimp steam for 2-3 minutes until pink. Then, use a rice paddle to fluff up the rice and serve.

If you want to experiment with flavor the next time you make this recipe, you could try some cayenne pepper, black pepper, a bay leaf, and even some hot sauce.

Plate your food and serve it up! It's time to dive into dinner.

More Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

If you have an Instant Pot, you've probably collected a huge number of Instant Pot recipes. Most Instant Pot recipes are so easy. It's addictive to use your Instant Pot!

Recipes that may have seemed a little intimidating or time-consuming are now simple and quick.

Because we're such big fans of the Instant Pot in my household, I've posted quite a few Instant Pot recipes.

instant pot jambalaya in white bowl

FAQs

What is the difference between jambalaya and gumbo?

Both are very similar in flavor but you will find the texture is what sets these two apart. Instant Pot Gumbo is served over a bed of rice.

Should jambalaya be wet or dry?

You will find that jambalaya is drier than wet like a thick stew. The liquid gets soaked up with the rice in the pressure cooker or Ninja Foodi.

What kind of meat is in jambalaya?

Chicken, sausage, and shrimp are the main kinds of meat in jambalaya. But, you are welcome to swap the meats with other varieties or only do a couple instead of all three if you would prefer.
Adding a variety of meat helps to add tons of depth of flavor to the meat mixture.

Can I use Instant Rice in the Pressure cooker?

Instant Rice is a no-go for the pressure cooker. It is such delicate rice that it will fully break down and turn to mush in the pressure cooker.

Using long-grain white rice, Jasmine, etc is a better option. Just ensure all the rice is fully covered in liquid so it can soak up and become light and fluffy like you want.

Craving More Ninja Foodi and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Recipe

Yield: 8

Instant Pot Creole Jambalaya

instant pot jambalaya in white bowl

Easy traditional Jambalaya that is so full of flavor and spicy ingredients. Surprise your family with this delicious and unique recipe that will leave them asking for more.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes

Instructions

  1. Heat oil using the Instant Pot sauté mode.
  2. To the heated oil, add chicken, creole seasoning, and salt.
  3. Sauté the chicken until it is no longer pink. Remove and set it aside.
  4. Add bell peppers and onions to the Instant Pot, and cook them until they're translucent.
  5. Put the chicken back in the Instant Pot, adding rice, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and sausage. Mix well.
  6. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and set it to 12 minutes at low pressure. Turn the pressure valve to sealing.
  7. After the 12-minute cycle completes, do a quick release.
  8. Add optional shrimp, and close the lid again for 2-3 minutes to let the shrimp steam until pink. If they aren't pink after that, close the lid for a few more minutes.
  9. Fluff rice and mix the shrimp into the jambalaya. Let mixture cool for a few minutes and serve.

Notes

Add in peas, cherry tomatoes, or extra sausage and shrimp to stretch this recipe out to serve more people or to add in a serving of vegetables.

FAQs

  • Can my dog eat Creole Jambalaya? You should pay attention and not share Creole Jambalaya with your beloved dog. This recipe contains ingredients that can harm your pet. For example, Creole seasoning and kielsaba include seasonings that are toxic to your dog, including paprika, garlic, and onion.
  • Can my cat eat Creole Jambalaya? Creole Jambalaya is a food that you should not give your cat. The spicy and seasoning flavors made up of dangerous ingredients can make your cat intoxicated, or at least have a hard time experiencing stomach pain, diarrhea or vomiting. I recommend that you avoid giving Creole Jambala to your dear furry friend.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 399Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 98mgSodium 1506mgCarbohydrates 17gNet Carbohydrates 0gFiber 1gSugar 4gSugar Alcohols 0gProtein 23g

Did you make this recipe?

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Author

  • Jessica McCoy

    Jessica McCoy is a seasoned food blogger with 14+ years of experience in the industry. As a self-taught home cook, she enjoys creating and finetuning easy recipes that are fool proof and simple for anyone to make. Her expertise is in all things kitchen: cooking tips, air fryer recipes, Instant Pot and other pressure cooking recipes, and slow cooker recipes. Jessica was the previous owner of AllSheCooks, where she focused on easy every day recipes including budget friendly dinner recipes and desserts.

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4 Comments

  1. On your recipe Instant Pot Jambalaya it calls for 1 can of crushed tomatoes, What size is the can?

    Thank you

  2. Sounds AWESOME!! However, I have a 6 quart Instant Pot and this recipe is for an 8 quart IP. What new measurements do I need to follow for my 6 qt IP? Thank you in advance

    1. You don't need to adjust anything in the recipe to cook it in a different size pot. You should still have plenty of room for the recipe. Thank you!

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