Crock Pot Jambalaya

This was my first time making Jambalaya EVER- so I was a bit nervous, but it just looked so good. I had to try it. And in a crock pot? Even better. It was super simple and makes a good amount. Maybe took me 15 minutes to prepare and then it was just slow cooking after that.

All in all me and my husband enjoyed it. We had a tiny mess up in which it could have been better, but I think that was my mistake, not the recipe. Basically at the end, you add the rice for the last 30 minutes on high. Well, I did that, but when I went to check on it after 30 minutes, the rice still wasn't cooked all the way. My theory is that is because my crockpot took too long to get up to "high" temp. so the rice was not simmering properly. Next time, I will turn my temp to high first and wait for the ingredients to come to a slow boil and THEN add my rice. So I ended up having to cook the rice another 30 minutes to get it to cook, but like I said, I think that if I just turn it to high first and get it nice and hot, I think it will turn out perfectly. So the only thing that didn't turn out as planned was the rice. Other than that, it had wonderful flavor and I loved all of the different meats- chicken thigh, sausage, and my favorite- shrimp! I think I might add a bit more cajun seasoning to mine next time as well because I wouldn't mind having a bit more kick to it. :)

I left out the celery because neither me nor my husband care for it. I used cajun seasoning because it was Gluten free, but I'm sure Creole would be just as good. Everything else, I followed to a T. Like I said, I would recommend turning your crock pot on high BEFORE adding your rice and make sure it heats up nice and hot first and then your rice should come out just right. :)

Another wonderful thing about this recipe is that it is gluten free! You just have to double check your seasoning of choice and that's it! And now I know that I really like Jambalaya!

Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch slices
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole spice mix
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound extralarge shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 3/4 cups long-grain rice
Parsley, optional

Directions
Combine chicken, sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, spice mix, thyme and oregano in a large (5-quart) slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours.
Add shrimp and rice; raise heat to high and cook for 30 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired.

Original recipe from americanfamily.com