Loaded Jambalaya: A Lower Sodium Alternative

Apparently, I make a pretty mean Jambalaya. Sure, maybe it’s not “pin-worthy” because I searched recipes on Pinterest and I saw some amazing photos. But I wonder…are they just pretty, or do they taste great? My food doesn’t always look pretty, but for goodness sakes, I have people knocking at my door asking if I made that Jambalaya again. That’s all that matters to me. Their plate may look better, but looks don’t matter when it comes to the pallet. This Jambalaya right here? It’s a crowd pleaser, pretty or not. I win the football party food war, and in fact, I should win the internet for this recipe!

I took a combination of recipes I found online, tweaked to lower the sodium and make it in my Crock Pot so it would be a no-fuss recipe. It’s actually easy to make and using a slow cooker reduces how much prep work you’ll need to do.

Crock Pot Loaded Jambalaya Ingredients:

• 1 lb cooked chicken (You can boil it or buy it precooked.)
• 1 lb cooked turkey sausage
• 1 lb cooked salad shrimp (I use frozen.)
• 2 cups white rice
• 14 oz low sodium chicken broth
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp low sodium Worcestershire sauce

Preparation and Cooking Instructions:

1. Pour the chicken broth in the Crock Pot.
2. Stir in all of the spices, the bay leaf, and the Worcestershire sauce.
3. Chop all of your vegetables and put them in the pot.
4. Cut your chicken and sausage in to bite-sized pieces and put them in with the broth and vegetables.
5. Add the shrimp.
6. Stir in the rice.
7. Simmer on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

This one-pot wonder is perfect for fall and is a huge crowd pleaser. It’s packed with protein and veggies, and since you have rice in the dish, there’s no reason to serve anything on the side. The prep time is a little longer than other Crock Pot recipes, but every extra second is worth it in the end. Pin-worthy or not, this is one recipe you’re going to want to try!