Wild Rice And Sweet Potato Jambalaya Recipe
Jambalaya is a staple of Cajun and Creole cuisine, a regular dish on menus and dinner plates in southern Louisiana only rivaled by roux-heavy gumbo. Though each family may have their own secrets, jambalaya always follows a familiar blueprint: spicy Andouille, tender chicken, juicy shrimp, bell peppers, and a whole lot of rice. If the jambalaya is Creole, it's filled with tomatoes, too, and if it's Cajun, the tomatoes are left out for a meat-focused dish. Cajun or Creole, jambalaya has fed hungry Louisianians for decades using the vegetables of the bayou.
A perfect addition to jambalaya, believe it or not, is sweet potato, a tuber not usually considered for the peppery dish. Adding sweet potato transforms jambalaya into an autumnal affair with a nutty, savory flavor and the same, mellow heat. Recipe developer Michelle McGlinn also swaps the rice for wild rice to lean into the fall-forward flavors, making this jambalaya a flavorful treat for cold-weather gatherings. The best part is that this Cajun jambalaya is still made in one pot, so it's perfect for easy, weeknight dinners.
The ingredients needed for wild rice and sweet potato jambalaya
The proteins you'll need for this jambalaya are chicken breast and Andouille sausage. If you can't find Andouille (or want a milder version), try smoked sausage or kielbasa instead. You'll also need a few pantry staples — olive oil, salt, and pepper. Next, gather the ingredients for a Cajun holy trinity — onion, celery, and bell pepper — as well as garlic and sweet potatoes. To complete the jambalaya from there, you'll just need chicken stock, smoked paprika, cayenne, and wild rice. Wild rice is sold on its own (black grains) or as a mix with brown or white rice. We recommend choosing a mix so that your jambalaya has some color.
Step 1: Heat the oil
Heat oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Step 2: Cook the Andouille
Add Andouille and cook until deeply browned, about 5–8 minutes.
Step 3: Add the chicken
Remove from the skillet and add the chicken.
Step 4: Brown the chicken
Cook until just browned, about 5 minutes, then remove from the skillet.
Step 5: Add the celery and onion
Add the celery, garlic, and onion, adding more oil if needed.
Step 6: Soften the vegetables
Cook until softened, about 3–5 minutes.
Step 7: Soften the bell peppers
Add the bell peppers and cook until fragrant, another 2–3 minutes.
Step 8: Add the potatoes and stock
Add the sweet potatoes, then cover with chicken stock, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 9: Submerge the rice
Add wild rice to the pot and stir to submerge.
Step 10: Add the proteins back in
Return the chicken and sausage to the pot.
Step 11: Season
Add all seasonings to the pot and stir to combine.
Step 12: Simmer
Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook until rice is fluffy and potatoes are softened, about 30 minutes.
Step 13: Fluff and serve
Stir to fluff rice, then serve.
What seafood can I use in wild rice and sweet potato jambalaya?
Traditional jambalaya often includes seafood because of New Orleans' proximity to water. Shrimp and crawfish are typical additions, which can be added here, as well. To add the shrimp, cook on its own until just barely pink, then reserve with the chicken and sausage until the rice is added. Since this jambalaya is non-traditional as it is, you can also consider other seafood options. Scallops go well with sweet potatoes and can be seared straight after browning the chicken and added back to the jambalaya with the rice. Clams and mussels are great options, as well, and can be added in the final 5–10 minutes of simmering rather than being seared beforehand. If you are a pescatarian and want to enjoy a seafood-heavy jambalaya, we recommend using a mixture of shrimp, scallops, and clams, and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable stock. Or, if you're feeling chef-y, do like Paul Prudhomme and make your own stock out of shrimp shells.
How can I serve and store wild rice and sweet potato jambalaya?
Jambalaya is a full meal on its own, basically involving every food group in one large pot. You can serve it on its own, with a Boulevardier cocktail or a crisp French 75, or you can serve it with other Cajun sides. Our favorite side dish for jambalaya is fried okra, which can also be made in the oven for easy prep. You can also serve alongside other southern classics like gumbo, hush puppies, or collard greens.
If you have leftovers, store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for three to four days. The best way to reheat jambalaya is in the microwave, where the rice won't dry out; heat it in increments, stirring often, to ensure even cooking. Then, just serve warm. We love serving our leftovers with a little avocado and green onion to freshen them up. But, don't worry — the jambalaya is just as good on its own the next day.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 14 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
- ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 cup long grain brown and wild rice mix
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add Andouille and cook until deeply browned, about 5–8 minutes.
- Remove from the skillet and add the chicken.
- Cook until just browned, about 5 minutes, then remove from the skillet.
- Add the celery, garlic, and onion, adding more oil if needed.
- Cook until softened, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and cook until fragrant, another 2–3 minutes.
- Add the sweet potatoes, then cover with chicken stock, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add wild rice to the pot and stir to submerge.
- Return the chicken and sausage to the pot.
- Add all seasonings to the pot and stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook until rice is fluffy and potatoes are softened, about 30 minutes.
- Stir to fluff rice, then serve.
| Calories per Serving | 747 |
| Total Fat | 39.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11.7 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 104.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 60.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 7.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 9.6 g |
| Sodium | 1,246.2 mg |
| Protein | 37.5 g |
