This healthy jambalaya is made with cauliflower rice, veggies, chicken, and sausage for the ultimate feel-good comfort food! See how quick this low-carb, Creole meal comes together below:
What is Jambalaya
Originated in southern Louisiana, Jambalaya is a household staple meal made with rice, sausage, an assortment of seafood, chicken, and the “holy trinity” a.k.a blend of onion, celery, and bell pepper.
It’s packed with flavor and is comfort food at it’s best! While this Healthy Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya stands on its own, classic jambalaya is something worth trying… or making your way down to New Orleans for the real deal. Up to you!
How to Make Jambalaya Healthy
To lighten up jambalaya we are swapping rice with cauliflower rice, this reduces the carbs but none of the flavor!
If you aren’t on the cauliflower rice bandwagon yet, get ready because this dish is gonna change your mind! It soaks up the flavor of any recipe and is a tasty, low carb swap for regular rice. I’ve used it to make Chicken Burrito Bowls, Egg Roll in Bowl, Shrimp Fried Rice, and the kids have no problem cleaning their plates or asking for seconds.
Using pre-packaged cauliflower rice definitely saves on time but I’ve found that one head of cauliflower yields a lot more “rice” for the same price vs. storebought. In case you’d like to make your own, I have a post and a video on how to make cauliflower rice three ways.
Backstory: authentic jambalaya takes about an hour to make because the rice slow simmers in the tomato sauce so it gets a nice coat of tomatoey, spicy flavor and everything holds together. It. Is. Amazing!
But cauliflower rice absorbs the tomato juice and other flavors MUCH quicker, so you get to eat sooner, like 40 minutes sooner. High-five!
Healthy Authentic Jambalaya Ingredients
Jambalaya is a very wholesome, stick-to-your-ribs type of meal, it’s made with basic, fresh ingredients like veggies, protein, and rice. However, it’s nice to occasionally lighten things up by swapping regular rice with cauliflower rice and pork sausage with chicken sausage.
Is Cauliflower Rice Jambalaya Whole30 & Paleo?
This jambalaya recipe is perfect for anyone doing a whole30 or paleo lifestyle. I even included it in the Family Kickstart, a clean eating meal plan for families, and it was a HIT!
If you are making this while on a Whole30 use this sausage to keep it compliant.
How to Get An Authentic Cajun Jambalaya Flavor
One of the main ingredients in Jambalaya is Creole seasoning, it’s the currency of Louisiana and great for grilled meats, fish, fish tacos, pasta dishes, and all things delicious. Unfortunately, this fairy gold dust isn’t found everywhere and while you can order it off Amazon, I’ll go ahead and give you my recipe below so you can make it on your own.
It will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 months IF you don’t use it all before then.
Can Jambalaya Be Made Ahead?
This recipe can be and should be made ahead because Jambalaya tastes better the longer it sits. This gives it a chance for the flavors to meld together and everything to soak up the spices.
Tell me, what are some favorite recipes you’d like to see made healthy?
PrintHealthy Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
This healthy jambalaya is made with cauliflower rice, chicken, and sausage for the ultimate paleo and Whole30 version of the classic Creole dish.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: dinner
- Cuisine: cajun
Ingredients
- 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- Coconut oil, for cooking
- 8 ounces sausage, sliced
- 2 medium bell peppers cut into bite-size strips
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cans stewed tomatoes, drained
- 3 cups cauliflower rice
For the Seasoning:
- ⅓ cup Spanish paprika
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and seasoning and gently toss.
- In a large skillet, set over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil. Add the seasoned chicken and sausage. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown. Add the bell peppers and red onion. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomatoes, breaking up any large pieces with a spoon. Stir in the cauliflower rice. Cover and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and the cauliflower rice has absorbed all liquid. Remove from heat and serve.
For the Seasoning:
- In a medium bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 312
- Sugar: 12.7g
- Sodium: 849.1mg
- Fat: 13.9g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23.2g
- Fiber: 5.4g
- Protein: 25.1g
- Cholesterol: 71mg
Keywords: low carb jambalaya, keto meals, cauliflower rice recipes
Creole seasoning
Easy Creole seasoning perfect for homeamde Jambalaya!
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: spices
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Spanish paprika
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Sharon
This recipe is where I first learned about cauliflower rice, which is appealing to me since I follow a modified paleo “diet.” I use frozen cauliflower rice to save on prep time and clean up but I used to make it from scratch. I use Cajun seasoning since it is difficult to find and make Creole seasoning (I wasn’t able to find Spanish paprika and smoked paprika), but this recipe still turned out delicious!
Laura Fuentes
I’m so glad you enjoy this with Cajun seasoning (that works too!).