This keto jambalaya is a healthy low carb take on the classic Creole dish. Made sheet pan style, it’s so easy to make and clean up is a snap!
Keto jambalaya – did you ever think you would hear those two words spoken in the same sentence? Because the classic jambalaya is anything but low carb.
But this easy sheet pan jambalaya is definitely a perfect keto dinner. Made with cauliflower rice, it’s a full meal in one go, with all your veggies and a delicious array of proteins.
And a lovely kick from some homemade Cajun seasoning! And the best part is that this easy keto jambalaya recipe met with approval from the whole family. You know it’s a winner when that happens.
The allure of the sheet pan dinner
Sheet pan dinners are exceptionally popular and with good reason. They’re simple to prepare and dirty fewer dishes. And the concept is great for almost any protein, from chicken to fish to steak.
My Keto Chicken and Veggies is perhaps one of my most popular sheet pan meals. And this Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon is a delectable healthy meal for fish lovers.
And the magic of sheet pan meals is that they aren’t confined to dinners. I’ve made Sheet Pan Pancakes, and even a full Keto Sheet Pan Breakfast with eggs, sausage, and bacon!
When I spotted this sheet pan jambalaya from Le Creme de La Crumb, I decided I had to take a shot at keto-fying it!
Creating a keto jambalaya recipe
Classic jambalaya is cooked in a big pot, with plenty of chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp or crawfish. Some veggies and a few cups of rice make it the ultimate one pot meal.
But all that rice makes authentic jambalaya a carb heavy meal and that’s simply no longer an option for many of us.
It was quite easy to swap in cauliflower rice in this sheet pan jambalaya recipe. I also cut back on the peppers and the tomatoes, and left out the onion altogether.
These changes saved a significant number of carbs and this keto jambalaya comes in at only 5.7g net carbs!
Tips for Sheet Pan Keto Jambalaya
Making jambalaya on a sheet pan makes it extra easy. Honestly the most time consuming part is cutting up the veggies and chicken!
Use boneless chicken thighs: They’re higher in fat than chicken breasts, so they are less likely to dry out in the oven. They’re also more satiating.
Cut the ingredients into even bite size pieces: The allure of a one-pot meal like jambalaya is that everything is cut up ahead of time, so it’s easy to simply dig in! Cutting them up evenly means they will cook more evenly.
Cook the chicken, sausage, and peppers first: These ingredients take a bit longer to cook through, so they need to be roasted for about 12 minutes before adding the cauliflower rice and shrimp.
Use plenty of butter: Yum!
Frozen or raw cauliflower rice? Both will work here but the frozen rice cooks through faster and more easily. If you are using raw cauliflower, add it in after the first 5 minutes of cooking.
Make your own Cajun seasoning: Store bought Cajun seasoning can contain a number of additives and sugars, but it’s easy to make your own with some basic spices and herbs. If you do want to purchase it, I recommend Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning, which has great flavor and no questionable ingredients.
Broil lightly at the end: This gives the shrimp that lovely browned look that’s so deliciously appealing!
Storage Tips for Keto Jambalaya
This recipe actually makes great leftovers that reheat quite nicely. I ate the last serving the following day for lunch.
The jambalaya can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More Cajun Inspired Keto Recipes
- Spicy Shrimp and Sausage Skewers
- Keto Crab Cakes with Cajun Mayo
- Keto Shrimp and Bacon Chowder
- Cajun Salmon Burgers with Avocado Crema
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo
- Cajun Sausage and Peppers
Easy Keto Jambalaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 12 ounce andouille cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 red pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 green pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 1 jalapeno minced
- 1/4 cup melted butter divided
- 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning divided
- 12 ounces cauliflower rice frozen, thawed
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 1 lb shrimp
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the chicken thighs, sausage, peppers, celery, and jalapeno on a large (11×17 inches or larger) rimmed sheet pan. Toss to combine.
- Drizzle with half of the melted butter and sprinkle with half of the Cajun seasoning. Toss again to combine well. Bake 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with the cauliflower rice, tomatoes, and shrimp. Drizzle with the remaining butter and Cajun seasoning – no need to toss together at this point.
- Bake another 10 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss to combine all of ingredients, and serve hot.
Patti Potthoff says
Is shrimp raw or precooked?
Carolyn says
Raw, always raw. Cooking pre-cooked shrimp makes them rubbery and tough. They’re really only good for cold applications.
Daniel Anido says
I have bought all three of your keto cookbooks as your recipes are oh so good, I have never found so many great recipes from any other author, you are a gem of a creater and I look forward to trying this jambalaya. Thank You.
Carolyn says
Thank you so much! <3
Laura says
I’m a Louisiana girl, can’t wait to try this.
Thank you for All your great recipes.
Carolyn says
I’m eager to hear what you think!
Lori says
Feel free to mix up what you have for the protein. You don’t need all 3 of these, and honestly I don’t usually mix meat and seafood. Crawfish tails are also a great mix in and you may be able to find these frozen outside of Louisiana.
Being from New Orleans I’m always leery about Louisiana recipes from someplace else. But this one sounds pretty spot on minus the jalapeño. If you want more heat to your dish I suggest adding some cayenne, hot sauce or more Cajun seasoning instead.
Carolyn says
I love the mix of proteins but that’s totally up to anyone’s tastes! Hope you will try it and tell me what you think.
Nancy Knowles says
All the adults in my family loved the Easy Keto Jambalaya recipe. The spice mix was excellent as was the combination of proteins and reduced amounts of veggies to keep the carbs down. This was easy to do, as well. Thank you so much, Carolyn! I love the heat and added extra jalapeños!
Jeanette Agnew says
Holy Moly Carolyn you must be a psychic of some kind, I was just thinking how to create this dish I love it, and here you are with a recipe…Well done and thank you so much.
Vangie Evngelista says
What is the ingredients is I want to make my own cajun seasoning?
Carolyn says
The seasoning recipe is right in the main recipe…
Rhonda Cole says
Absolutely delicious!
Kim Garner says
I use your recipes all the time, and I have most of your cookbooks. This one will be added to my regular meal plans. I loved it! So easy, simple clean up, delicious!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Lisa says
That looks awesome!
Pan says
This was tasty and so easy! I used boneless skinless chicken breast because it’s what I had on hand. Leftovers were great too.
Martha Cripe says
Fixed this for dinner last night was soooo taste!! Very spicy but was enjoyed by all. Simple recipe to make. Thank you!!
Susan Hislope says
Can you freeze the leftovers?
Carolyn says
Shrimp does not freeze well, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Jeanette says
Delicious and easy to make. Spicy but not too hot next time might use little bit less chili powder.
Kristyn says
Just the right amount of spice & so hearty! Love that it’s low carb & still so tasty!
Suzy says
The flavor of this jambalya was out of this world! We could not get enough!
Lisalia says
This had just the right balance of veggies and dleicious meat! Thank you for this flavorful and keto appropriate meal!